Dawn of Darkness Short Stories
by EmblemQueen
Summary: This a series of short stories that's related to FE: Dawn of Darkness. Note: The second story, Ashes of War, is referenced in the first story, A Mercenary's Tale. Pairings: IkexElincia, KieranxMarcia, slight GeoffreyxOC, other OC pairings.
1. A Mercenary's Tale

A Mercenary's Tale

My tale begins long ago, when I was a mere child of around twelve years, living in the vast kingdom of Gallia, home of the beast laguz tribe. Of course, my age then is only a guess, because most of what I know of my dark past was told to me in words by another. Back when I was a kid, we were a family. My mother, my father, and my sister, Mist were all the family I knew of. For reasons Mist and I didn't know, our mother carried an old medallion which she kept from us and forbade us to touch at all. We knew she had a reason for that too, but what exactly that reason was, Mist and I were unsure.

Now I know that the medallion was in fact Lehran's Medallion, an artifact that once belonged to a heron, a member of the bird laguz tribe. You might say it was a cursed medallion, for whoever touched it was driven with uncontrollable madness and forced to go into a violent rage. Well, almost no one could touch it because of that reason. My mother, Elena, and my sister were able to carry it safely. For awhile, I had no idea why, and I still don't completely understand. Mist had no knowledge of what the medallion was or why Mother carried it for awhile either.

One day, while they were away from us, my father, Greil, suddenly reached for the medallion in Mother's hands and took it, unaware of the dark secret that was hidden inside. He went into such a violent rage and for such a long time, that he went off and killed a number of people before Mother's very eyes…and before my own. From what I've been told, Mother went out to find Father and right when she laid eyes on him once more, she snatched the medallion out of my father's hands and let him slide his blade right through her flesh. I saw the whole thing while Mist was inside the house.

I found myself just standing there in disbelief of what had happened. I felt like a statue, unable to move or say anything at all. I heard Mist's voice from the house and she came running out. Mother and Father were lying there on the ground motionless, the medallion lying right next to my mother. Two men were standing there beside them, talking about things I wasn't understanding right away.

"Ahh! Father! Mother!" Mist cried in dismay at the sight of our parents.

"The general's children…" the first man said upon noticing us.

"What's wrong with them? Are they asleep? …Father? Mother?" Mist replied.

"They're very tired, child. Let's not disturb them," the second man explained. However, Mist had other ideas.

"We can't just leave them sleeping here! It's cold out! We have to take them home!" she insisted. "Ike, you have to help me! …Ike?"

I said nothing and simply stood there, still confused and in shock. Mist had no idea what had happened and was unaware that our mother was dead. I could see why it was best for the two men not to let her know of Mother's death that moment.

"I'll take them home," the second man offered. "Will you show me the way?"

"Yeah! Come with me!" Mist gleefully replied.

One of the two men carefully picked up my father off of the dirty ground and followed Mist to our house. I stayed outside with the other man, unsure of what to do or what to think at all. Mother was dead…and I knew it. Mist was lucky she hadn't known, but because I did, I couldn't find words at all. The thoughts kept swimming through my head like there was no tomorrow. I feared the memory would haunt me forever. I then heard the other man mumble something to my mother's dead body. However, I couldn't quite make out what it was. Then, Mist reappeared from the house, not accompanied by the other man just yet.

"Ah! Hey!" she exclaimed, seeing the medallion lying next to Mother. "That's my mother's medallion! No one's supposed to see it!"

"No child! You mustn't touch it!" the man warned her. Just then, the other man reappeared from the house.

"We can't let it get lost. I'll keep it," Mist decided. She picked the medallion up off the ground, but nothing had happened to her.

"You…you are unchanged?" the man gasped in surprise. Mist ran up to the other man after putting the medallion in her pocket.

"You said you'd take my mother home too," she said.

"Yes, of course," the other man replied. He then walked up to Mother and gently lifted her off of the ground in almost the same fashion he had done with Father. Mist led him to our house and pretty soon they disappeared into the front door. I was still standing there in silence, lost in thought and fear. I didn't even notice Mist come back out a few minutes later and ask me what the matter was.

"Ike? What's wrong? Why are you just standing there? Are you hurt?" she asked me. I still chose to say nothing.

"You saw everything, didn't you? Poor child," the man still outside said to me.

"Ike?" Mist said again.

Suddenly, the man held up his staff, and the tip glowed a large, bright glow. Soon, the glow appeared around me and the sight of my father stabbing my mother suddenly shot through my head. And then…it was gone. Just like that. I let out a loud scream, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in my head. I fell to my knees, not able to bear the pain.

"Ike? What's wrong?" Mist gasped.

Instead of answering, I kept grunting and groaning, with mixed feelings of pain and fear. I suddenly grabbed Mist and started pinching her uncontrollably.

"Ouch! Ike, that hurts! Let go!" she cried.

Instead of listening, I kept grunting and groaning. Then, the other man appeared from the house and saw me on the ground looking like I was in pain.

"What happened?" he inquired.

"Give me a moment," the other man replied. Then, he raised his staff again, letting its bright glow appear once more. Soon, Mist and I fell into a deep sleep. The last thing I heard him say was "sweet children…sleep now. Rest."

Now I can only remember so much of my childhood and my mother. The man with the staff had completely erased that horrible memory from my mind, knowing he could not let such a memory haunt one so young. From then on, after we moved from Gallia to the neighboring land of Crimea, Mist and I grew up while living with Father, and I became a man of seventeen years. Mist was fourteen, and the closest thing I had to memories of Mother. She often hummed a certain song that I was familiar with, and it always reminded me of our mother who we now both knew was dead.

Father and I were out doing my training lesson one morning. We were practicing with wooden swords, and I was determined to do my best. For I wanted to become one of the Greil Mercenaries, the mercenary company led by Father. After much training and hard work, and a battle against my father and another member, Boyd, I finally made it in as a full time mercenary. I was quite happy about it, and even gave Captain Titania my pride and joy about it later on after a fight against a group of bandits.

From then on, I worked to hone my skills at the way of the sword, and it wasn't long before my father began putting me in charge of missions which included Boyd, his older brother Oscar, Titania, and the rest of the group. Why he was doing this, I was unsure but what I didn't know was that it would prove useful in the near future. For awhile I assumed the role of captain, and, despite being young and inexperienced, I did my best to lead the group to success. And success we achieved, too.

One day, however, we found a young woman unconscious by the woods after a battle with some soldiers from the neighboring kingdom of Daein. We brought her back to Father, and soon she awoke. The woman claimed to be Princess Elincia, the heir to the throne of Crimea. After explaining everything that had happened from the moment she had fled the capital, Melior, to the moment she went unconscious, Father decided to believe she was telling the truth and we agreed to escort her to Gallia so she could meet with its king, Caineghis.

However, on the way there, while we were staying in an abandoned castle, I had trouble sleeping, and caught a glimpse of my father walking away from the place in the middle of the night. I jumped up from my bed and followed him outside, wondering what he was up to. He asked why I was up and I explained to him that I was unable to sleep and saw him leave. Father insisted that we have a little talk. We began to walk into the woods ahead. I asked him why he had been putting me in charge of things, but for some reason, he wouldn't tell me.

"I'm weak, inexperienced. I shouldn't be in charge of anyone," I reasoned.

"Ike…do you remember your mother at all?" Father inquired.

"What? Where did that come from?"

"Just answer the question."

"Well, she was kind…I think. I don't really remember," I replied. I hadn't known much of my mother at all at the time.

Just like that, Father then told me to go back inside and get some sleep. I was reluctant to go, but I turned around and started walking towards the castle. Just when I had reached the door, I turned around and watched my father disappear into the dark, thick woods up ahead. I started running after him as fast as my legs could carry me through the tall trees. I panted as I kept running, not wanting to stop until I spotted Father.

"Father…what's going on? Where are you?" I said to myself, still panting. I sped up to full speed, and eventually I came to a clearing in the woods and stopped running. There, in the middle of the clearing, was my father, wielding his axe and in battle with a knight, a Daein knight from the looks of it. The knight was tall and covered from head to toe in ebon armor. He wielded a long, heavy-looking sword with a golden brown hilt and white blade.

"Father!" I exclaimed, starting to run up to him.

"Ike! Stay back!" Father yelled back. I suddenly came to a halt in my tracks and stood there, fear in my mind of what was happening. From that point, I watched as the two battled it out for moments on in, until the armored knight suddenly slid his blade into my father's flesh. Father's mouth hung open as the sword was driven into him. Seconds later, the knight withdrew the blade and I found myself racing to my father's aid.

"Father!" I exclaimed once more, catching him and letting us both fall to the ground. I sat there looking at my severely wounded father, feeling tears building up in my eyes. I couldn't help but feel like a child all over again.

"Don't…don't leave me…" I mumbled to myself. "Don't leave me! FATHER!" However, I knew it was too good to be true. My father was dying, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Later on that morning, we buried my father's body and used his axe as a gravestone. Mist was heartbroken and couldn't believe Father was really gone for good. And then, when I returned to the castle, I had a little talk with Titania. I insisted that I take command of the company for my father. She asked if I was sure about it and I said yes. I wanted to avenge my father and find that knight who had brought him to his death. So from then on, I was the commander of the Greil Mercenaries, and led the group to the aid of Crimea in the kingdom's war against Daein and its mad king, Ashnard.

Eventually, I became the general of the Crimean army and helped Princess Elincia win back her kingdom. After much toil and hardship, I came in possession of the holy golden blade, Ragnell, and used it to defeat my father's killer, the Black Knight. Ragnell was one of the only indestructible blades on the entire continent, and I was a lucky man to wield such a weapon. From the time I helped Elincia gain her rightful place as queen of Crimea, I aided her in Crimea's well-deserved reconstruction and remained near Melior with the Greil Mercenaries. I eventually renounced my peerage, as I only desired to live as a mercenary, but somehow, I couldn't get her off of my mind…

A few months later, while my company and I were still residing near Melior and going in and out of the capital to aid Elincia and the Crimean army, we received word that a previously unknown tribe of laguz, the wolves, had invaded the weakened Daein. Though we cared little for Daein itself at the time, we knew that we'd be sinking as low as Ashnard if we allowed the wolf tribe to kill innocent people. We had no quarrel with Daein's common people, after all, only her late king. And with that, I took command of the Crimean army once more for Elincia and led our men to victory over the wicked wolf king, Arius.

During this short quest, I made friends with a pair of wolf laguz who also desired to take Arius down. They were Kiel and Sara, two siblings who were actually prisoners of Arius's clan at the time. With their help, we managed to bring him down.

The night before the battle, which was dubbed the Battle of the Beast, however, I came to a realization, thanks to Elincia. I found that I'd fallen in love with her over the course of our adventures together. She was a very kind and courageous young woman whom I would do anything to protect, even give up my own life. Her beauty and strong will also caught my attention. She also shared my dream of seeing beorc and laguz live in harmony in all of the continent of Tellius. What's more, she admitted to being in love with me as well and that was the beginning of our romance. Of course, I knew that, if I ever were to marry her, I'd become a noble again, but somehow, I did not care. All that mattered to me was that I loved her for who she was and would do anything to be with her. I knew that together, we could do many great things.

Unfortunately, there were few people who seemed to embrace the idea of a queen being with a common mercenary. We were forced to hide our feelings for one another and keep our meetings secret. But that wasn't the worst of it. Three years after the Mad King's War, the war against Ashnard, ended, a new conflict erupted. First, a rebellion in Crimea went under way that aimed to dethrone Elincia. Count Bastian of Fayre hired my company to put an end to it. And we did, just in time. Duke Ludveck, the mastermind behind the rebellion, was about to sacrifice Lucia when Elincia refused to give up the throne, even though her army managed to put him behind bars. I rushed in after my archers, Shinon and Rolf, freed her from the rope that bound her neck, and caught her in my arms. Afterwards, we fought off the rebels.

Elincia then met with me secretly once again, but this time, it was more so business than our secret romance. She was warning me that Daein was finally returning to power and had a new ruler on the throne: King Pelleas. Daein was comparing him to Elincia and a girl known as the Silver-Haired Maiden to me, since they claim she was Daein's true heroine. I also received reports that the Black Knight, whom I thought I defeated three years before, was alive. Of course, I was astonished.

However, that wasn't the end of it. Sometime later, my good cat laguz friend, Ranulf, hired the Greil Mercenaries and I to aid them in a war against the Begnion empire. Not one to turn down a close friend in need, I accepted his offer and we fought side by side. Unfortunately, this is where my relationship was, as I prefer to put it, put on hold. I had to remain apart from my beloved Elincia for a long time during this war and at the same time, she had to have many meetings about the recent and current conflicts with her retainers, including General Geoffrey, the commander of the Crimean Royal Knights.

While I was already astonished that I would be fighting against Daein again when they surprisingly came to Begnion's aid, rumors had begun going around that Geoffrey and Elincia had been sharing a secret romance. Unfortunately, I had not learned this until far later when the armies of every nation had finally made peace and joined together to take on the goddess Ashera's Disciples of Order. The goddess was not supposed to wake for another two centuries or so due to a promise made many years before: there would not be another war in Tellius for one thousand years. Instead, Micaiah, the Silver-Haired Maiden, woke her with a sacred heron melody known as the Galdr of Release. Though I continued to fight Ashera's forces and even managed to defeat the Black Knight for good this time around, my heart gradually ached more and more.

Then came Ashera's defeat and my fame reaching its peak. I cared not for the fame my deeds brought me, only that I wanted to get away. I once thought I could not cry, but surprised myself when tears streamed down my cheeks when finding out that my beloved Elincia might have left me for another man. I couldn't bear to remain in Tellius due to these events and decided to leave. I vowed to never return. Ranulf protested, but I had made up my mind.

"Ranulf, you won't stop me," I insisted. "I don't care how much others love me anymore… I've lost the one person I loved the most and being here will only keep my grief intact… I'm sorry."

"Alright then, if that's how you feel, I'm going with you," Ranulf decided.

"What? But Gallia needs you! Skrimir is not going to be an efficient ruler without you either."

Skrimir was Caineghis's nephew and heir to Gallia's throne. He also commanded Gallia's army. Ranulf was the deputy commander.

"Oh, he'll get by somehow. And frankly, I'm rather tired of him. But my main reason is that I don't want you going through this alone. Someone needs to be by your side to comfort you. Soren is all the way across the continent in that Branded village Stefan was talking about, so I'm the closest friend you have that can go."

"Well…alright. Thank you…"

Soon after, we heard reports that a new land was found west of Tellius. According to the few inhabitants that were spoken to, it was called Altarais. Since we had no other ideas, Ranulf and I chose to make it our destination and do some exploring. Hopefully, it would take my mind off of things and gradually help me get over my emotional pain. Unfortunately, as we were boarding the boat, I overheard some people talking about General Geoffrey and Elincia being engaged and that they would be wed very soon. From that moment on, my heart was shattered completely. I kept asking myself 'how could she do this to me? I loved her and cared for her and protected her with all my heart and strength…' and began contemplating suicide.

Thankfully, Ranulf prevented me from killing myself and convinced me that possibly, Elincia wasn't lost to me after all. I wanted to believe his words so bad, but I was unable to. All I could do was blame everything on myself, saying I should not have left, I should have confronted her and Geoffrey, and should've done something to make our love for one another known to more people. What I didn't know, however, was that I would soon be caught in yet another adventure…


	2. Ashes of War: Part 1

Ashes of War

Part 1: Budding Love

It was late afternoon in the land of Crimea, but with the late autumn season, the sun was already gone from the sky and the air had grown chilly enough to force most indoors. Many of the trees were already long since bare of leaves and the sky had grown ever more overcast, hinting at the forthcoming snow. Despite the chill, however, tensions were quite hot in the home of the Greil Mercenaries, Crimea's top fighting force. A brawny figure clad in rough and tumble leather armor and a red cape shoved aside the door to the fort's kitchen, slamming it behind him so hard that everyone in the room jumped. Ike, who was commander of the company and son of the late Greil who'd been the previous commander, was not known for his patience and something had evidently caused that patience to run out. His gait was unsteady and his eyes slightly glazed as he clutched a pack of ice against the side of his head. At the table sat his fellow mercenaries, Boyd, Oscar and Titania, who were resting after ridding a nearby village of bandits. Seeing Boyd, however, Ike scowled deeply.

"This is the last straw, Boyd!" he exclaimed as he walked over. "If you hit me one more time with that axe—"

"Get a grip, Ike. It was an accident," Boyd retorted, clearly more irritated than concerned. "Just be glad it wasn't the sharp end that hit you."

"I don't care! This is the third time this month you've made the side of my head turn purple!" Ike protested, squinting at the pain in his head from being hit both the blow and his own shouting.

"Hey, it isn't my fault you haven't learned to stay out of my way!" Boyd shot back, one fist clenching. "Why don't you try backing off for once?"

"I would, if you would start paying some attention to where you're swinging that thing, you moron! You're just lucky I can't afford to kick you out of this company!"

That proved to be exactly the wrong thing to say, for Boyd now vaulted to his feet and glowered at Ike as if ready to whack him again, and this time on purpose.

"Don't call me a moron! I'm not the one who's whining about a little bump on the head!"

"LITTLE BUMP? Does this look like a little bump to you?"

Ike removed the ice from his head to reveal a swollen, purplish-red lump about the size of a plum slightly jutting outward from his head. Titania caught a glimpse of it and grimaced. Oscar didn't even think about looking, but with his perpetual squint, it was hard to tell. Ike had been in a great deal of pain upon being struck. However, Boyd refused to even acknowledge it, much less apologize for it.

With that, both Ike and Boyd began railing at each other over one another's carelessness until Titania moved to cut in, worried they might come to blows. Instead, however, they stormed out of the room yelling at each other over the incident until their voices faded. Titania, muttering something about being "the only sane one," collapsed back in her chair with an exasperated sigh. It had become a recurring incident on the battlefield when Boyd would mistakenly strike Ike in the head with the haft of his axe just as he was about to swing it into a bandit. The same thing had happened twice before that month. True to form, Ike had taken Boyd to task for being careless and Boyd blamed Ike for being in the way of his swing and after that, the two began having furious arguments. Titania noticed Oscar, who also frowned upon the constant arguing going on between his younger brother and his commander.

"What are we going to do with them…?" Titania wondered with another sigh. "This bitter rivalry between those two has gone on long enough."

"I agree," Oscar replied. "Ike and Boyd have argued before, but not like this. Not since Ike first joined the company, in fact. I'm really not sure why it all started. I mean, for all the noise they're making about it, I don't think Boyd clocking Ike with his axe is the whole thing."

Titania, wondering the same thing, began mulling over the events that had occurred a few months before when the entire continent of Tellius was engulfed in war due to the actions of Mad King Ashnard of Daein. Before then, the company's former commander, Greil, had finally determined that his son, Ike was finally ready to join the company. As a result of Greil's death during the war, Ike inherited command of the company. It was no secret that dealing with that was a lot to ask from such a young man who, despite his obvious talent and determination, had so much to learn and nowhere near enough time to learn it. Ike still struggled with it at times, working to keep the company in business and to become a better leader. Maybe it was getting to him? Though, of course, a lot more had happened besides the death of Ike's father and Ike becoming commander.

_There are a _lot_ of possibilities,_ Titania realized.

"I think something is bothering those two. Something other than each other, of course," Titania suggested. "I mean, doesn't Ike seem like he hasn't been himself lately? Even Mist has begun avoiding him for the past few weeks."

Mist, Ike's younger sister, used to always look up to her big brother for support, especially after their father's death. However, all the arguing had visibly displeased her, and she'd refrained from being around either him or Boyd when she knew they were at it. Rolf, the younger brother of Boyd and Oscar, had been doing the same.

"Yeah, you might be on to something," Oscar agreed, stroking his chin contemplatively. "Boyd seems different as well. Why he would change like this, I don't know, but I have a pretty good idea of what may be bothering Ike."

"Oh? Are you saying he's grieving for his father again? Or, maybe the responsibility of running the company is wearing him down? I had the same thought."

"Not just that. You've got to admit the guy's had it tough a good chunk of his life already."

"Very true…"

The two mercenaries continued to contemplate the matter as the night grew darker. Oscar continued to recall the events of the war against Ashnard, where some rather spectacular whimsies of fate had brought the Greil Mercenaries to the forefront of the war. They remembered all of the efforts to win Crimea back from Daein, seeking help from Gallia and Begnion, invading Daein itself and then rallying Crimean and laguz forces to liberate Crimea. It was a remarkable time, dangerous and often unpleasant, but still remarkable since it would surely have a profound impact upon the history of Tellius, and that the Greil Mercenaries had such a large part in it. Then, however, Oscar recalled another who'd been an essential figure, not only in the war but also in Ike's decision to involve himself in it. And, it wasn't long before realization caused a grin to cross his features. Perhaps it wasn't the history of Ike's life at all, but a more personal problem.

"Hey, Titania…" Oscar began, his tone turning sly. "Maybe Ike's reasons involve Queen Elincia."

"Queen Elincia? What makes you think she would upset Ike?" Titania wondered.

Elincia, the once hidden princess of Crimea, had inherited the Crimean throne after her late father, King Ramon, and his brother, Duke Renning, lost their lives to Ashnard. Ike and the mercenaries discovered her, practically by accident, during the first days of the war. When it became obvious that Daein knew of her as well, and that they would target the mercenaries as well for sheltering the fugitive princess, Ike was quick to voice his intent to support her and Greil had followed suit. After fleeing their fort with Elincia in tow and Greil being killed during the journey, they'd aided her in building an army to resist Daein's forces.

"It's not that. Remember at the castle, how Ike seemed rather reluctant to leave her? And we weren't even going far away. Queen Elincia requested that we remain near Melior. And besides, doesn't he still have that painting of them that was done just before we left?"

"Wait, you're not saying he's in love with her, are you?"

"It's possible, but if he is, then he more than likely doesn't realize it."

"Hmm… I doubt it, somehow. At times, Ike seems so selfless, you'd think he doesn't even know what he wants for himself. Besides a few dozen slabs of ribs, that is. But, whatever the reason, I'm going to go talk to Ike about all these arguments. They have to stop before those two dolts really do hurt each other. Even Soren is miffed at them."

Soren, the company's staff officer in training and a mage, often stayed out of matters that didn't involve him, but this case became an exception. Ike and Boyd's quarreling had disturbed his studies once, at the volatile mage had retorted with a blast of Elwind that blew the pair all the way out of the building.

"Indeed. While you work on Ike, I'll go figure out Boyd," Oscar agreed. "He is my brother, after all."

With that, the two of them left the table and went in search of their comrades. Assuming they had gone to their rooms by now, Titania led herself to Ike's room which coincidentally was just across from Boyd's. The door was open just a crack, and a glance inside revealed something interesting: the very painting Oscar had mentioned, of Ike standing alongside Elincia in Melior, occupied a place of honor on Ike's bedside table. Even more curious, Ike's expression in the painting looked...content. He'd rarely looked like that since his father's death. And, to top it all off, Ike had one arm around Elincia's waist and his fingers were laced with hers.

_Interesting,_ Titania mused to herself. _Very interesting indeed._

However, as she quietly opened the door wider so as not to disturb anyone else, Titania found that Ike was not there. A glance at the window on the far side of the room, fortunately, revealed a dark figure sitting outside on the grass. After making out a cape swaying in the breeze and a headband tied around the figure's head, Titania knew it was who she was looking for.

After leaving the room, Titania eagerly let herself outside to see Ike sitting there gazing at the night sky. The overcast had broken up in a few places, allowing the moon and the bright stars which twinkled overhead to be visible. Ike was still holding the ice pack to his head and gazing at the stars as Titania walked up next to him. This too caught Titania's eye, since she'd never known Ike to be interested in stargazing and after slogging through the snowfields of Daein, probably wasn't fond of the cold, night air either. She approached Ike, who seemed quite oblivious to her presence, and also turned her attention to the sky. She just barely caught a glimpse of a shooting star streaking past the moon. Her attention finally returned to Ike moments later and she smiled as she knelt beside him.

"Ike?" she greeted. "Can I talk to you?"

Ike then turned around see Titania's familiar long red braid.

"Whoa, Titania, don't sneak up on me like that," Ike groused, breathing hard from the shock. "And that's an order."

"Haha, sorry about that," Titania replied with a snicker. "I just came out to have a little talk with you. What's going on with you and Boyd?"

Ike sighed before answering, clearly reluctant to discuss the topic.

"Honestly, I have no idea. The first time Boyd hit me over the head with an axe wasn't really a problem, but when it happened again, we just…sort of got annoyed with each other about it."

"Are you sure? Oscar seems to think you're getting upset about your father or what you learned of your past again."

"Oh, no, it isn't that. I mean, I still think about that from time to time, but I've been able to cope with it now that I've avenged my father. I'm even glad he isn't here right now to see this problem. I mean, what commander gets into arguments with his own men?"

"I see. You do bring up a good point. Oscar mentioned Queen Elincia too. Do you…miss her at all?"

"Well…yes, sort of," Ike admitted, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "She was great to have around. I would have never expected a princess or queen to know how to use a sword, at least not as well as her. She was also really kind…and beautiful…uh! Forget I said that!"

Ike's cheeks instantly turned scarlet, shocked what he'd just said.

"Aha," Titania replied with a mischievous smile. "You _do_ like her, don't you?"

"Of course I do, she was a good friend and ally, but I swear that last sentence slipped out. I can never understand royalty anyway."

Titania had to admit that she could understand, especially given Ike's displeasure towards other nobles during the war. Still, even so, there was something curious in Ike's voice. It almost sounded as if he was saying that to himself as much as to Titania...and that he wasn't convincing either of them. Plus, not many things could put a wistful smile like that on Ike's face.

"Alright, whatever you say."

Titania merely sat there with Ike a little while longer, a smile on her face. Oscar, she thought, might have just hit the nail on the head when he said Ike might unknowingly be in love. Knowing it was something Ike had never experienced before, Titania suspected he had not even come to grips with how he felt for Elincia, much less knew what to do about it. If Elincia felt the same way, and she had certainly shown a few small signs in the past, then no one could doubt a budding love between a hero and his former princess.

Despite her delight, Titania knew that realizing such a thing would not be easy. Ike didn't care a whit that he was a commoner and that Elincia was royalty during the war, and Titania rather doubted that had changed, but there were plenty of other would likely care _very_ much. What's more, if Ike did seek to court Elincia, would it mean he would have to leave the company? It was possible, even if it was only to satisfy those critical of such a courtship, but being a mercenary was the only life Ike had ever known. Titania had sensed however, especially during the war, that being a mercenary might not be Ike's destiny. At least, not his ultimate destiny. Perhaps Elincia would play another, deeper role in realizing it? Titania did not know, but she did hope that Ike's likely love for Elincia ended better than her love for Greil did. With a sad smile crossing her own face, she clapped a hand on Ike's shoulder, gazing fondly at the young mercenary who'd been like a son to her.

"I think you do have feelings for her. If you get the chance, tell her. I want to see my grandchildren before I go."

There were no words for how stupefied Ike looked upon hearing this. Snickering, Titania went back inside the fort to ponder what she'd discovered further.

Back inside the fort, Oscar was still hunting for Boyd. Like Ike, he had been absent from his room, but left no sign as to where he might have gone. Oscar questioned Soren and Rhys, the company's sickly, but determined healer, about his brother's whereabouts, but neither one of them had seen Boyd since the group returned from that day's mission. Neither Mist nor Rolf had a clue either. Shinon and Gatrie had already gone to sleep, and Oscar knew from prior experience that rousing them in the middle of the night was a bad idea. Besides which, Ike and Shinon hated each other, so Shinon would not likely be of much help anyway. That left Mia, their other sword fighter. Oscar soon spotted Mia coming through the back entrance of the fort and quickly approached her.

"Hey, Mia, hold on a second," Oscar called out.

"Yeah, what's the matter?" Mia wondered.

"Have you seen Boyd anywhere? He was in the kitchen, but then he and Ike stormed out. Now I can't find him," Oscar explained.

Mia brought her hands to her hips and grunted.

"Ugh, were those two at it _again?_" she groused. "This is getting ridiculous. It's not like Ike at all to be fighting with his own troops. He's our commander for heaven's sake."

"Exactly," Oscar agreed. "It's not like Boyd either. Titania went to talk with Ike, so we're hoping to bring the problem to an end."

"Good. If you're looking for Boyd, I just saw him out back. I asked him why he was out there, but he wouldn't tell me."

"Alright, thanks."

With that, Oscar started for the back door. As he stepped outside into the darkness, he was struck by how cold it was. He glanced worriedly at the overcast sky hoping this year's snowfall wouldn't be too bad. Aside from their rather unpleasant time in Daein, which seemed to have winter year-round, the Greil Mercenaries' experiences with snow had rarely been pleasant. One year, they'd been snowed in the fort and had been unable to take on any jobs all winter. Then, the year after that, a snowstorm had hit while they were away on a mission which left them snowed _outside_ the fort. Shuddering at the recollection, he immediately began looking for Boyd. Within seconds, Oscar spotted his brother leaning against a nearby tree with his arms folded across his chest despondently. A light, but cold breeze was blowing through the rear of the fort as Oscar approached Boyd. Boyd's face, however, held no hint of the anger he'd shown earlier. Instead, he looked very glum about his argument with Ike. When he heard his brother's footsteps, however, Boyd looked up to see Oscar standing nearby.

"Oh…hey, Oscar," he greeted gloomily.

"Hey Boyd, I want to talk with you," Oscar replied. "I'm curious about why you and Ike have constantly been fighting."

"I figured. I don't like the fighting either," Boyd admitted, noting Oscar's raised eyebrow. "Hey, I'm serious! I don't know what's gotten into him. Ike's never done this before."

"True, but neither have you. Is there something wrong?"

"Well…" Boyd began. "Actually…yes, sort of. In fact, it's about Ike."

Oscar's eyebrows rose upon hearing what he just heard.

"Really? What about him?"

"I'm…I'm jealous."

"Why's that?"

"Well, I always thought Ike got too much," Boyd explained. "He wielded a sacred sword, took command of our company not long at all after he'd first joined… Even Elincia seemed to have taken a liking to him. I guess I was pretty sore about it and just took it out on him all this time. I'd get lost in thought during battle, I'd swing my axe and, next thing I know, there he was clutching his head screaming at me like I did it purpose. It only happened when he was nearby, but I still never intentionally tried to clock him, though, I swear."

"I believe you," Oscar replied with a hint of relief in his tone. "Don't worry about it, alright? I actually think myself that Elincia could be why Ike has been out of character."

"Oh? What a coincidence. Well, I'm going to head inside. See you in the morning."

"Alright, I may as well myself. Good night."

The rest of the evening passed without incident and, by the next morning, the fort had settled back to its customary abnormal state. Greil had coined the phrase some years ago, since "the Greil Mercenaries" and "normal" just didn't seem to belong in the same sentence, and this was especially true during and after the war. In any case, Ike awoke to the smell of a meal being cooked in the kitchen. Judging by the sharp female voice that came to him, even muffled by the door, it was Mist's turn to make breakfast. Mist could be pretty territorial in the kitchen, especially around people like Ike and Boyd who'd barge in to do some taste testing, but Oscar's lessons to her were paying off. Since Mist helped heal his head the previous night, Ike had been able to get a good night's sleep. Though the thoughts of his last argument with Boyd were still swimming through his mind, Ike chose to set it aside and instead remember what Titania had said to him the previous night about Elincia. Did he really like her more than as a friend? Or did that sentence about her kindness and beauty really just slip out? Titania's quip about grandchildren had been a dead giveaway as to what she thought on the matter, but Ike was nowhere near as certain. Ever since he was old enough to use a sword, and he'd started exceptionally early, his only real priority had been to become a good mercenary and commander, maybe even as good as his father. Up until the war, he'd rarely given much thought to other pursuits, much less the idea of falling in love with a girl who should be far out of his reach. Still, this didn't stop him from finding the painting of him and Elincia on the bedside table and looking at it longingly.

Having it done had been Elincia's idea and, for some reason, Ike did not even question the notion. Once the painting was done, Elincia had given it to him, calling it a "keepsake" and saying she hoped he'd visit her again sometime. Looking back, Ike found himself wondering if she might have been asking for more than just the sake of friendship and he suddenly found himself thinking that it would be nice to see her again. Whatever the case, Ike decided not to think too much about it for the time being.

After he rose and got dressed, he made his way to the kitchen. With a few exceptions, the entire company was already gathered in the kitchen, with only a couple exceptions. Oscar and Mist were both making breakfast, the cooking area roped off to stop any would-be taste testers. Titania, Boyd, Mia, and Rhys were at the table, the ladies chatting amiably, Boyd concentrating on his meal while Rhys tried to work his food into his often uncooperative body. Rolf had a plate in his hand and was conversing with Mist at the counter. Only Soren, Shinon, and Gatrie were absent. Shinon was the company's only archer other than Rolf and Gatrie was a heavy foot knight whose flirting had gotten him in trouble quite often. Ike grabbed a plate of his own and joined the others at the table upon entering the kitchen. Titania looked at him with a greeting smile, and a hint of coyness when he noted the hint of distraction in his eyes. Boyd simply glanced and then returned to his own plate.

"Oh, good morning, Ike," Titania greeted. "Your head feeling better today?"

"Yes, much better after Mist healed it," Ike replied. "She's getting better at this all the time. Just a little more practice with Rhys, and she'll be as good as him."

As he stuffed a piece of fruit in his mouth, Ike turned his attention to Boyd, hoping for a sign that he might apologize or that he regretted last night's argument. Ike was also quite eager to end this feud with Boyd; Ike's occasional clashes with Soren and his almost daily arguments with Shinon were quite enough. However, a few minutes passed and Boyd just continued eating silently. Warily, and hoping not to start yet another argument, Ike decided to speak up.

"Hey, um, Boyd?"

"Yeah?" Boyd replied, seemingly without interest.

"You're not still sore about last night, are you?" Ike wondered.

Boyd swallowed his food before answering.

"Sort of, yeah. I didn't appreciate being called a moron."

"Well, now you know how I felt when you did the same to me the time Rolf and Mist were taken hostage by bandits."

"Ugh, why do you have to bring that up?" Boyd retorted, his expression turning angry. "It's not like that was why you called me one!"

Ike sighed before replying.

"Oh come on. Lighten up. You're not starting another argument. You and I both know we don't want that."

"What if I am? I'm sick of listening to you anyway!"

So saying, Boyd rose from the table, snatched up his plate and left the room. Ike shoved his plate back and lowered his head to the table in frustration. Oscar put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ike. Boyd will come around eventually," he reassured him.

"That's easy for you to say," Ike replied, clearly unconvinced. "I try to set things right and it only gets worse!"

A few minutes later, Soren walked in the door carrying a scroll and his wind tome. However, his perpetually dour expression looked even darker than usual as he brushed his robes aside and turned his attention to Ike. Though loyal to Ike, Soren often disagreed with the plans made by the company during missions, not the smallest of which being the decision to enter the war and ally with the laguz, but Soren's loyalty towards Ike remained unshakable and he aided Ike as best he could. Despite this, he always kept his blunt manner and was _very_ quick to criticize whatever and whoever he saw fit. Ike turned around to find the dark-haired mage behind him and greeted him.

"Soren. What's the matter? You look worried," Ike observed. "Did you overhear what Boyd said?"

"Yes, but that's not the reason," Soren replied. "I've just received a message for you from Queen Elincia. She needs to see you right away."

Ike suddenly brightened. Despite his attempts to stay focused, she'd been on his mind quite a bit since last night. And, after all, the idea that it would be nice to see her again _had_ occurred to him not an hour ago.

"Queen Elincia? What for?"

"There's trouble in Daein."

"There is? Why would she be concerned about Daein?"

"I'm unsure. You should go ask her. She's waiting for you outside of the fort now."

Ike's eyes widened in an instant.

"Wait a minute, she's here? Blast!"

He instantly jumped up from the table and bolted from the room, forgetting about finishing his breakfast. Titania and Oscar exchanged glances and discreet smiles while Rolf and Mist just stood there in confusion.

"I wonder what's with him…" Mist opined.

"Who knows," Rolf replied. "Sometimes Boyd's like that too."

At the front of the fort, Ike threw the door open and rushed outside, bewildered as to why Elincia had personally come all the way out there to the fort. He spotted her standing at the gate into the fort grounds in a long cloak, presumably for hiding herself from the common folk and soldiers. This, plus the hint of gleaming armor underneath and the hilt of her sword poking out of the cloak's folds suggested Elincia had snuck away from Castle Crimea alone, intend on reaching the fort without being discovered. Still wondering why Elincia had resorted to all that, Ike quickly ran up to her. Elincia turned around to notice the blue-haired man standing before her. At the sight of him, a bright smile dawned on her face, which suddenly caused Ike to forget his earlier concerns.

"Oh, my Lord Ike!" she cried. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Y-Your majesty! What are you doing way out here?" Ike blurted. "Aren't you supposed to be at the castle?"

"Yes, but I felt I would cause a panic in town if I had your company come up there and talk," Elincia explained. "So I came here in disguise. Not even the guards know I've left."

Ike merely sighed before responding.

"I'm not sure you should have done that," he warned. "If the guards don't know where you're at, the whole castle is probably up in arms by now."

"I don't care," Elincia replied somberly. "There's a serious problem in Daein right now and if we don't act soon, it could soon involve Crimea."

"What do you mean?"

Elincia began by explaining that, hoping to mend relations between Crimea and Daein, she'd been sending convoys of food and craftsmen to help her one-time enemies to rebuild. Ike could understand the sentiment since he'd seen firsthand the price Daein had paid for their aggression, even if he doubted the Daein people would appreciate the gesture. Elincia's decision, unsurprisingly, had met considerable resistance from her advisors and, to complicate matters, the convoys themselves had disappearing over the past few weeks. At first, Ike thought Elincia might be asking for his group to find the missing convoys, but then she explained that the convoys had already been found, their goods looted and their members killed. Then, three days ago, a Daein soldier came to her reporting that a previously unknown tribe of laguz had suddenly appeared in Daein's borders and had, for no obvious reason, began assaulting the common folk and attacking the towns. This had caught Ike's attention, since he didn't think there were any laguz left in that country. Since Daein currently had no leader, and its army had been decimated during the war, nothing could be done to stop them.

Elincia went on to describe the laguz themselves. They were believed to be part of the beast tribe but, unlike the Gallians, they were not feline but canine. They had pointed ears on their heads, long fur of gray, white and other, largely dark colors, and long bushy tails and that they transformed into wolves when they fought. Aside from derailing her efforts to begin some sort of reconciliation with Daein, Elincia was worried that, if the wolves completely overran Daein, they could do the same to Crimea and other neighboring lands.

"Whoa…" Ike commented. "This is serious. So, you need us to help deal with these wolves?"

"Yes," Elincia replied, her eyes downcast. "The sad truth is I don't have anyone else to turn to. Crimea will likely be reimbursing Begnion for the help they gave us during the war for some time, so we're in no position to ask them for help. And, asking Gallia would likely be a mistake. Even if they are willing to help us against other laguz, which I doubt, I fear they'd never agree to do so for Daein's benefit."

"I see," Ike replied, sensing that this sad reality was trying on Elincia. "We'll help in any way we can."

"Oh, good!" Elincia replied, seeming to brighten slightly. "I'll need you to command the Crimean army again when we launch our counterattack. The wolf tribe is very strong."

Ike sighed in frustration. He had been granted the title of Lord during the war in order to command the Crimean Liberation Army, but he had not enjoyed it and certainly did not relish the idea of being saddled with the title a second time.

"Must I go through that again? You know I detest the idea of being a noble."

"I know Ike, but it would just be a formality. A temporary reinstatement, just so the senators opposed to this plan cannot claim it's illegitimate. You can renounce the title afterwards, just like last time"

"I still don't like it. I mean, couldn't Geoffrey lead the army while I lead the mercenaries?"

"Well, unlike me, the army doesn't exactly like the idea of aiding Daein. While I've no doubts Geoffrey would do a good job, I believe the soldiers would be more comfortable following you again because of your actions during the Mad King's War. Crimea seems to respect you more than any other military leader and if both you and I think this is best for the country, the soldiers would no doubt follow us without question. Please, Ike! You've got to! Please! Do it for Crimea! And do it for me…"

Ike remained silent for a few more seconds, eyeing Elincia's desperate and pleading expression, and then managed a soft smile.

"Alright. We'll head to the castle after everyone's ready."

Elincia's face lit up.

"Oh, thank you, Ike!" she exclaimed in relief. "You're such a strong and brave fighter…I don't know what I'd do without you…"

With that, Elincia moved closer to Ike and kissed him softly on the cheek. Ike's eyes widened as his cheeks flushed in a deep red.

"Uh…well! Thanks! I'd better go get my men," he replied, his voice a bit shaky. He turned around and went back into the fort, thinking of what a challenge a wolf laguz tribe could be. Aside from the Feral Ones, captive laguz who'd been drugged to make them into living killing machines, he'd rarely fought laguz. And, since he had no information about these wolves besides what Elincia had told him, he realized he'd be going in blind, as it were. It also reminded him of a blessed, indestructible sword he once wielded called Ragnell. The blessed sword had been invaluable in the final days of the war, and he'd used it to defeat both the Black Knight, who'd killed his father, and Ashnard himself. He wondered if it was possible for him to reacquire it for the battle. Ike doubted it, since he'd given it to Sanaki, the Apostle of Begnion, after the war and Elincia had said that Begnion would likely not consider Daein's problems to be a priority. However, Ike couldn't be absolutely sure Ragnell would even be necessary to win. He was quite strong even without the golden blade, for his incredible strength enabled him to wield a two handed sword with only one hand in battle.

Upon reentering the mercenary fort, Ike immediately went to seek out all the troops. Titania, Oscar, Soren, Rolf, and Mist were still in the kitchen. Rolf was helping Mist and Oscar clean up from breakfast while Titania was trying, without great success, to pump Soren for more information about why Elincia had come. Boyd was still nowhere to be found and Mia and Rhys had already left. Another thing on Ike's mind was the kiss Elincia had given him. He brought his hand to his cheek as he, somewhat distractedly, sought out Mia and Rhys, wondering if it meant anything more than just an expression of gratitude. He still remembered Titania's rather surprising words the previous evening, and shuddered to think about what she'd say had she seen Elincia kiss him. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him.

"Ike, are you alright?" Titania's voice spoke from behind.

Ike whirled around to find her standing there with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh, stop doing that! Of course. I was merely lost in thought," he explained. "Titania, go round everybody up and have Mist and Rolf pack some food and supplies. We're going to be taking another little trip to the castle."

"Oh? What did Elincia say?"

"I'll explain on the way. Just make sure everybody is ready."

"Understood, Commander."

Titania shot Ike a smile before going back down the corridor, which left Ike puzzled. Shrugging it off, Ike then went to his room to get himself ready. Still deep in thought about the wolf tribe and Elincia's kiss, Ike grabbed his silver sword, the strongest blade he had with him, from the weapons rack, and straightened out his headband and cape which had gotten disheveled from his running. Just as he began to leave, something caught Ike's eye. His gaze turned towards the small mirror above the wash basin and, with shock and embarrassment, he realized what Titania had been smirking about.

On one cheek was the rosy red impression of a certain pair of lips.

Ike, with some inexplicable reluctance, washed it off. As he did so, he thought of Boyd as well, hoping he wouldn't clobber him once again and while Elincia was around. Ike would never forgive himself if he argued with Boyd in front of the queen of all people. Elincia clearly felt bad enough having to ask him to undertake this mission and he didn't want to risk upsetting her any further.

After finishing up and heading back outside to rejoin Elincia, Ike checked on Mist and Rolf along the way. The two had lead the two draft horses to the front of the fort, loading each with food, vuleraries and spare weapons. They were also ready with their own equipment. Rolf was equipped with his bow and quiver of arrows while Mist was carrying her staff and, at her waist, had a sword nearly as long as she was tall. Ike still worried about having them on the battlefield, and had ever since they two had barged in during the middle of a skirmish in Gallia during the war, but both were now quite capable and he would surely need their skills. Ike then hurried to the gate where Elincia was still waiting. Rhys, Soren, Boyd, Mia, Shinon, and Gatrie were with her. Titania and Oscar were leading their warhorses out of the stable and mounting up. Ike nodded approvingly, glad his company was still battle ready and capable, even with both his father's time as commander and war behind them. Straightening up to his full height, he moved to join them.

"Alright, I'm not one for speeches so I'll keep this short," he began. "We've been commissioned by Queen Elincia to travel to Daein, along with the Crimean army, and to drive off these wolf laguz."

He noted more than a few expressions of displeasure on the faces of those assembled.

"Commander," Titania broke in, "Daein is _not_ well liked around here. If our giving aid to them is...misinterpreted, it could damage our reputation."

"The war is over, and what we do today might help to make sure there isn't another one," Ike replied. "And, if we have to, we can have this job be "under the table," with no written contracts."

"There will still be plenty of witnesses if we're going with the army," Titania pointed out. "If they talk, and our clients hear, that could go badly for us."

"If that happens, I'll straighten it out," Ike assured. "But, as for going, my mind is made up."

"Very well."

Titania, however, was not the only one with reservations.

"You must be joking!" Soren hissed. "First, we're fighting alongside sub...excuse me, _laguz_ against Daein and now we're fighting laguz to help Daein? Could you _please_ make up your mind!""

"Soren's still an impudent whelp, but he's got it right," Shinon seconded. "Why the heck should we care what goes on in Daein anyway?"

"Because those are my orders!" Ike replied, forcibly enough to silence them both. "If you don't like it, you can stay here and dust the rafters."

"And miss seeing you fall flat on your face?" Shinon retaliated with his usual sneer. "Not a chance."

"Very well," Soren replied, though he sounded far less than thrilled.

"So what's keeping the others?" Shinon bluntly inquired.

"Here they come," Mia pointed out. The two draft horses came trotting over from the stable, followed by Rolf and Mist and laden with weapons and supplies enough to last them at least several days.

"We're all ready, Brother!" Mist reported.

"Yeah, just give the word, Commander!" Rolf added enthusiastically.

"Then let's move out!" Ike proclaimed.

With Elincia and Ike leading, the troop began their trek to Begnion. Since only two of the mercenaries had horses, and Ike would sooner become a vegetarian than take riding lessons, it would likely take a least most of the day to reach Melior. Along the way, Ike retold Elincia's story to Titania, Oscar, Mist, and Rolf, describing to them the strange new wolf laguz tribe that had invaded Daein. Though it was still unknown what their intentions were, Daein was still defenseless, rendering it an easy territory for any army to push through and then enter Crimea and possibly neighboring Begnion as well. One possible explanation for the wolves' attack was that the wolves were the land bound counterparts to the Kilvas Corsairs and were after loot. During the war, while advancing on the Daein capital of Nevassa, Ike had discovered a Daein storehouse crammed with more gold than he'd ever seen in his life. If that was any indication, Daein had plenty of loot and, in its current state, could do little to keep the wolves from taking it. Perhaps these creatures wanted to take over Daein while it was still a weak, leaderless country and take its land for their own. Even so, it was still a mystery as to why they would want the land in the first place since Daein's wintry climate made it difficult and hazardous to travel, much less conquer, and the wolves would inevitably have supply problems since Daein had so little farmable land. Questions which had yet to be answered raced through Ike's head as the troop reached the halfway point in their journey to the castle grounds.

It wasn't long before the Crimean capital of Melior was in sight, its towers and spires rising like spikes of pearl and silver on the horizon, and Ike could already imagine stepping inside the immense castle once more. Looking forward to it, especially since they wouldn't have to fight their way past Ashnard to get in this time, the troop picked up the pace in hopes of reaching it by evening. Despite the swifter pace, Ike could not prevent his gaze from wandering in Elincia's direction. All he could make out was the hood of her cloak, draped over her face so that no one would be able to recognize her, and he felt a tinge of sadness that he couldn't see her features. Her reappearance in his life had caused quite a few thoughts he'd never expected to form in his mind, and he couldn't help a certain...longing, perhaps, that had stolen over him when he was near her. Suddenly, as if reading his mind, she turned to face him and Ike felt his breath catch in his throat.

_I'd almost forgotten how pretty she is,_ he thought to himself. _Wait a minute, where did_ that_ come from?_

Elincia smiled at him, her soft lips curving upward in a serene grin while her lambent eyes shone with delight and...something else. What that "something else" might have been, Ike did not know. Elincia's smile had a way of leaving him utterly confounded, unable to think of much else besides how much he liked her smile and making her happy. It also had a tendency to lead to some embarrassing results, such as Ike tripping over a rock in midstride.

"Smooth, Commander, real smooth," Shinon quipped nastily while standing over the fallen Ike.

Ike was about to retort when he felt a certain hand grab him to help him rise which, even with her gauntlets, he recognized at once.

"Thank you, your majesty," he told Elincia as he regained his feet.

"Think nothing of it, my Lord Ike," she replied.

For the most part, their journey passed without incident, but that changed as they were traveling by a small village. The thunderous clap of an explosion suddenly rent the air, nearly knocking Ike off his feet as he tried to steal another glance at Elincia. Startled, the group turned in the direction of the sound to see what was causing the commotion. To their dismay, a group of bandits were attacking the village and robbing the villagers of their wares. A few doors of the various houses had been kicked in and windows had been broken, while carts and merchant packs had been overturned or smashed. Ike immediately ran ahead of his group.

"What in the world?" he blurted. "This is preposterous! The timing couldn't be worse!"

"You can say that again," Titania replied. "We need to help these people anyhow!"

"Agreed. Greil Mercenaries, form up and charge! They don't appear to be very strong, so let's make this mission fast!" Ike commanded. "Your majesty, you should go hide and let us handle this."

Elincia did not hesitate to comply and quickly sought out a place that would both hide her and allow her to watch the combat at the same time. The bandits, spying the oncoming mercenaries, grabbed what loot they could and made for the tavern, probably hoping to gain an edge since they could use the interior to their advantage and deny the Greil Mercenaries the use of their mounted units, who wouldn't be able to fit through the doors nor maneuver inside. Ike was undaunted, ordering Titania to circle the village from the outside while Oscar circled the tavern itself, cutting off any escape, while he and the others launched the assault. They counted eight or nine bandits in all, hardly a challenge, and Ike stormed in after them. Soren, Boyd, Gatrie and Mia followed him in while Shinon and Rolf fired their arrows through the windows, taking care not to fire when a member of Ike's group might blunder into their line of fire. Mist and Rhys stayed at the entrance, ready to treat any injuries the others might suffer. Boyd kept a close eye on Ike this time so he didn't pop him in the head again.

The bandits made a desperate, and sloppy, attempt to use the building to their advantage. An attempt to form a bottleneck defense at the door, where they could all attack the mercenaries who could only enter one at a time, failed when Ike smashed right through, flinging the bandits in all directions. The bandits tried keeping tables and the bar between themselves and the mercenaries, which didn't help much against Soren's wind spells. Using the tables for elevation was easily countered by cutting at their exposed legs and, when the bandits resorted to snatching bottles from the bar and throwing them, it was all the mercenaries could to keep from laughing out loud. One by one, each bandit went down. Outside of the tavern, a crowd had gathered to listen to the commotion as best as they could, hoping that the soldiers fighting off their robbers would prevail. Inside, the combat ground to its inevitable conclusion. Only a handful of the bandits were left, and another one went down as Soren's wind spell sent him crashing into one of the supports for the ceiling. It splintered and then snapped under the impact and the roof began to groan ominously.

"EVERYBODY OUT!" Ike commanded, realizing what would surely follow.

Sure enough, just as the mercenaries and remaining bandits began clambering out through the broken windows, the front door and walls around it began to shake. After several moments of trembling and the sound of wood groaning and splintering, the tavern's ceiling gave away and the tavern collapsed in upon itself. Startled, Rhys pulled Mist out of the way with him, both of them barely escaping the flying splinters and other debris that flew in all directions. The two breathed heavily with relief as they watched the battle come to an end. The remaining bandits, startled, shaken and now exposed, were quickly dealt with. Ike had just struck down the final bandit, an axe wielder, without breaking a sweat due to his threefold advantage of strength, experience, and weaponry. Rhys turned to Mist as the group was leaving.

"Mist, are you alright?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for helping me!" Mist replied. "I got so scared I couldn't move!"

"It's alright, as long as you're safe," Rhys assured with a smile.

Soren turned to Ike after quickly inspecting the now dead bandits.

"Hey, Ike, if I may have a word. These bandits appear to have vulneraries and other items that may be of use to us," he reported. "Any such supplies in the tavern, or what's left of the tavern, are probably unrecoverable but we should take the others while we have the chance."

"Alright. Everybody, take what you need and let's get out," Ike ordered. "If these wolves we're going to meet are really as strong as Queen Elincia makes them out to be, we'll need all the supplies we can find."

With that, everyone picked off the items from the bandits, leaving behind whatever they could tell was stolen for their owners to reclaim. When new finds were secured to the draft horses, they were quickly greeted by the villagers, who thanked them for their efforts. After bidding them farewell, Ike and company continued to make their way up to the castle in Melior.

"Wait a minute," Mist spoke up. "Where's Queen Elincia?"

At this, Ike glanced about anxiously. He'd been expecting Elincia to reappear once it was clear that the battle was over, but the disguised Queen of Crimea had not returned. For a moment, Ike thought she might've pressed on towards the castle alone, a thought which did not thrill him any more than the idea of her venturing all the way from the castle to the fort, but he was not reassured. Ike decided they would take a moment to search until Elincia was found, or at least until it was determined whether she was indeed headed straight to the castle. Their search was brief however, for a scream rent the air and brought Ike running.

"Unhand me!" Elincia's voice rang out.

Ike, the color draining out of his face, raced in the direction of the sound to see Elincia struggling with a bandit who'd escaped the earlier battle. Spotting the approaching mercenaries, a glimmer of fear flashed across the bandit's face but was replaced with a look of cunning.

"Eh, ya be the merc'naries who brought me mates ta thar knees!" he observed, with a low cackle. "I makes ya a deal, ya gives me the loot 'n I gives you this uppy lass!"

Ike, his teeth grinding in fury, advanced a step but the bandit raised his axe meaningfully.

"Ah, don't ya do nothin' ya'll regret!" the bandit warned.

Ike stopped, fearful the bandit would follow through on his unspoken threat. Ike gulped, suddenly very afraid, even more so than when he'd seen Mist and Rolf in the same predicament some time ago. Improvising, he drew his sword and, seeing the bandit's axe come up to strike, threw it on the ground. The bandit, relaxing and even seeming a bit smug, motioned for him to approach, undoubtedly so the mercenary could hand over the promised loot. Ike didn't actually _have_ the loot the bandit most likely wanted but, since the bandit seemed so fixated on Ike, maybe he wouldn't notice the others until they had a chance to act. It was not the others who acted, however, but Elincia. While the bandit had been drooling over the loot he felt certain he'd soon regain, Elincia had gotten her free hand to her sword, Amiti, still sheathed and hidden under her flowing cloak. Quickly, faster than either she or Ike would have believed her capable, she had her sword out and ran it through the bandit's guts. While the bandit was stunned with surprise and pain, Ike raced over and clocked the bandit with all his might. The bandit sagged to the dirt and never got back up.

"Are you okay?" Ike inquired urgently.

For a moment, Elincia did not reply. She looked shaken by her near miss, her face pale and the hand holding Amiti trembling, and she jumped when Ike repeated the question.

"Oh! Sorry, I'm alright, my Lord Ike," she replied, a little jumpily. "Thank you for your help."

"What help?" Ike asked, smiling and rather impressed at Elincia's actions. "Looks like you managed pretty well on your own."

Elincia blushed a bit and her hand stopped shaking as she sheathed Amiti. Still, she seemed a bit tense after what nearly happened, so Ike placed an arm on her shoulder as they continued their journey. Discreetly, and somehow managing to do so without being heard, Ike let out a long sigh of relief that Elincia had come away unscathed from this latest peril.

Later that day, just past dusk, Ike and company had finally arrived in front of the gates of the Crimean castle. The company had no trouble entering the castle once Elincia identified herself to the stupefied guards and, from there, she led them through the foyer and into the throne room. Two familiar figures stood in the middle of the room, one being a blue-haired woman wearing the robe of a swordmaster and with an elegant blade at her hip and standing next to her a blue-haired man with green armor and a lance with a distinctive forked blade. Ike recognized them as Lucia and Geoffrey, two of the allies whom aided him and his army during the Mad King's War. The two of them turned their attention to their old friends and greeted them with warmly welcomes back to the Crimean capital.

"Ah, Sir Ike!" Geoffrey greeted, his voice, as always, sounding too formal for Ike's liking. "What brings you and your company here?"

"Queen Elincia summoned us," Ike explained. "We know of the conflict that has erupted in Daein. It's due to this so called wolf tribe, is it not?"

"Ah, yes, indeed," Geoffrey confirmed. "But her majesty went all the way to your base? She has not been seen since last night, and we've been searching for her all day."

Taking this as a cue, Elincia removed her cloak and her retainers sagged in relief at the sight.

"That's what I told her would happen, but after thinking it through again, I believe what she did was necessary," Ike replied. "It would be best if we dealt with this situation without alarming the people...any more than they are already, that is. And, some of my men are worried that intervening in Daein could upset some of our clients."

"I understand and I agree," Lucia added, turning to Elincia. "But, it was very risky for you to travel alone and without telling anyone. Your majesty, you should do your best to not have us worry like that again. Please."

"I know… I'm very sorry," Elincia apologized, a sheepish smile on her face. "But I knew that if the wolves decided to attack us, we would need the strength of Ike and his company again."

"Very true," Lucia agreed. "Ike, you and your company are our country's top fighting force. We'd all be grateful if you'd lend us your strength again. I can assure you, you will be properly compensated. And, if your clients do think ill of this venture, you will be reimbursed for any loss of business you may suffer as well."

"Of course, and thank you. I would like nothing more than to aid Crimea in times of hardships," Ike affirmed. "I'll have my troops move out to the Crimea-Daein border tomorrow at dawn. If we're lucky, the few Daein soldiers can distract those wolves long enough for us to discover enough about them to plan a strategy."

Ike had been about to say more when a sentry entered the throne room.

"Your majesty?" the sentry blurted, surprised. "I've been searching for you for hours. Your guest says he must speak with you immediately."

Elincia let out a very audible, and rather un-ladylike groan at the idea and nodded for the sentry to fetch the "guest." Ike regarded this with puzzlement, unable to recall anyone who'd elicited such displeasure in the unfailingly kind Elincia, not even the dour Soren who'd never been fond of her. The question of who could cause such a reaction in her was promptly answered, and Ike wished it hadn't been.

"First you insult us with those paltry handouts, then you disappear for over a day, I can hardly wait to see what happens next..." a black armored man with red hair railed as he entered the room, his words trailing off as he saw Ike and the mercenaries.

Seeing them, the man was silent for a moment, seemingly stunned, and then quivering with rage.

"Well," he sneered in undisguised contempt, "I should've guessed the so-called queen's "specialists" would be you. Didn't make off with enough loot from Daein the first time?"

This was obviously the Daein soldier that Elincia had mentioned and who'd come to Crimea for help, for only Elincia would listen to this hot tempered, ill mannered character instead of kicking him right back out the door. Aside from red hair and black armor, the man carried a steel lance and a rounded shield, distinguishing him as a Halberdier. And, while he eyed everything around him with obvious disgust, he gazed at Ike with undisguised hatred.

"Everyone, this is Captain Jerec of the Daein army," Elincia introduced, seeming to force herself to sound formal and cordial. "As you may have guessed, he was the one who brought me the news of the wolves. He has also insisted upon accompanying our counterattack."

_Great,_ Ike mused to himself. _Just great._

Jerec seemed to catch Ike's thoughts and clenched his lance as if eager for a fight. But, Ike realized this man was also the only one who may have seen the wolves in battle and who could tell them anything useful. Again, Jerec seemed to read Ike's thoughts on his face.

"You want information?" he inquired, to which Ike nodded. "I have some for you: you are all going to die!"

Ike was about to remind Jerec that he'd defeated both the Black Knight and Ashnard, but Jerec cut him off.

"You doubt me? I have seen those wolves in action. They move so fast, a man would need a dozen eyes to follow them. Their fangs can pierce armor and tear flesh from the bone. Be wary when you hear their howling, for it means your death is approaching fast."

Ike was about to argue the point when Soren moved towards Jerec and snatched him by the elbow.

"I'll see if I can get anything _useful_ out of this glorified doorman," Soren informed his commander, much to Ike's delight and Jerec's chagrin. "I'd be surprised, however, if this raving idiot knows anything useful."

"You might be right, but it's a risk I'm willing to take," Ike replied as Soren led Jerec off.

"I'm very sorry about that," Elincia apologized. "I'd keep him here, but he's already proven hard to confine, so I've had to settle for making sure he doesn't enter anywhere...sensitive or leave the castle unescorted."

"It's more than that, actually," Lucia warned. "I did some research after he arrived and I've discovered something troubling: Jerec is General Bryce's son."

Ike remembered General Bryce, the eldest of the Four Riders who were Ashnard's finest warriors. Ike had fought and defeated Bryce during the final battle of the war and, if Jerec's disposition was any indication, his son was well aware of this fact. Ike suddenly found himself wondering if Jerec might try to strike back for his father's death, and immediately knew the answer. If Ike had suddenly found himself under the Black Knight's command, he would've tried just that. But, Ike had learned enough prudence to know that he had to hone his skills and wait for the appropriate time before striking so that he could win against the Black Knight rather than risk his life and his mission pointlessly. Hopefully, Jerec would show the same restraint and wait until after the wolves were beaten before seeking to settle the feud.

"I appreciate the information, and I'll be alert," Ike replied. "We're rather exhausted from the action earlier, not to mention the traveling, and to fight a strong tribe such as these wolves, we'll need to be in tip top shape."

"What action?" Geoffrey inquired. "Are you telling us something happened on the way here?"

"Oh, about that, yes," Ike confirmed. He then explained to Geoffrey and Lucia what had occurred in the town a few hours back with the bandits. Though they were little more than a nuisance to Ike and his group, they had stolen a lot from the local villagers and merchants and the local tavern had been practically destroyed in the process. Geoffrey and Lucia almost couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"Wow. Your group had arrived at just the right time then," Lucia commented. "We're ever so grateful you were there."

"All in a day's work," Ike replied with a smile. "So it's settled then. Tomorrow we'll be leaving."

"Agreed," Geoffrey and Lucia replied at the same time.

"I'll be more than happy to let your company stay here for the night, Ike," Elincia offered.

"Thanks. That is more than appreciated," Ike said, smiling again.

Hours later and rather late in the night, Ike lay awake in bed, his mind still awhirl with countless thoughts that would not let him sleep. Boyd somehow managing not to hit him in the head again, the attack of the wolf tribe in Daein, his exceptionally unpleasant meeting with Jerec, and most of all, Elincia's kiss and what had followed her close call with that bandit. Did the kiss mean something more than a thank you? And, for that matter, was it more than just concern for a friend that had so filled him with terror at the notion that she might be harmed? The questions kept flitting through Ike's head like a Kilvas raven winging in drunken delight over a ship crammed with gold. Unable to sleep a wink, he got up, put his cape, armor, boots, and headband back on, and decided to take a short stroll around the castle grounds to collect his thoughts. He quietly walked past the rooms of his comrades and went down the stairs to one of the doors leading to the castle gardens. With a deep sigh, he opened the door silently and breathed in the fresh air around him.

Ike had not been much for gardening and, even if he was, he doubted that any greenery could impress him after seeing the enchanting beauty of Serenes Forest. Still, the castle gardens did have their charms. Pretty stone paths spread outward from a great disc of cobblestones where an ornate fountain stood ringed by benches. Long flower hedges rose, nearly as tall as Ike himself, and shot off in either direction for more than fifty feet while flower beds, decorative bushes and clusters of trees dotted the angular spaces of grass between the paths and the hedges. It was pretty enough but Ike found the way that every last _leaf_ seemed to have been put somewhere prearranged to be a bit jarring, not to mention a little creepy. Despite this, Ike settled onto one of the benches, still deep in through and trying to let the fountain's ceaseless gurgling lull him to sleep, when he heard another set of footsteps was heard behind him.

"Ike?" a female voice quietly called out. Surprised, Ike rose and turned. It was Elincia, whom was still not changed out of her armor and into her night clothes nor even unbuckled Amiti. The beautiful young queen stood in the frame of the same door he'd exited and walked up to him.

"Huh? Your majesty," Ike replied.

"Ike… You can just call me Elincia," Elincia offered with a smile.

"W-What? But that would be inappropriate!"

"But I insist."

"Well, alright."

Here, Ike trailed off, the many thoughts he'd been wrestling with again stirring. And, a new one joined their number. Elincia wearing her armor and weapon to find him made sense, in fact, though he shuddered at the idea, she might not have escaped that bandit unharmed without them, but why wear them in her own castle which was defended by several hundred trained guardsmen? Elincia seemed to read his thoughts spelled out on his face, something which seemed to happen often to Ike these days, and answered.

"Ever since...the war, I don't feel safe in my old clothes. Especially with the threat of the wolves."

Why Ike said what he said next, he would never know.

"That's too bad, that orange and gold gown looked lovely on you. The colors were very flattering."

Elincia, clearly not expecting him to say such a thing, gaped a moment. And, Ike was no less shocked.

_Wait a minute, did I just say that?_

"I, uh, um, I don't know what came over me," he blurted.

To his relief, Elincia didn't look offended. In fact, she looked amused and even a bit coy.

"Why my Lord Ike," she replied with a giggle. "I had no idea you'd become such a charm since we last saw each other."

Ike, by this time, had turned as red as his cape as he tried to stutter out some sort of apology.

"Don't," Elincia urged. "That was very sweet of you. Maybe I will wear that gown for your benefit sometime."

"I'm not sure what to say," Ike confessed. "Thanks. What are you doing out here anyway?"

"I was about to ask the same of you…" Elincia admitted. "I stayed awake longer so I could talk with some of the guards about bringing you here. After all the commotion I must've raised, I figured I owed them an apology at the very least. Then, I saw you walk out just I was returning to my room."

"Oh, well, I only came because I had trouble sleeping," Ike explained. "I had a lot on my mind about, well, everything. I'm sorry if I worried you any."

"Oh no, I wasn't worried…" Elincia replied, her formerly coy tone now turning bashful. "It's just that…Ike…"

"Yes?"

"I…I want you to promise me…please be careful out there tomorrow. I know I'm probably asking more than I have the right to ask, especially after all you went through during the war, but I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you…"

"Don't worry, your m—I mean Elincia. We'll all be fine," Ike assured her. "I can feel it."

Elincia smiled softly.

"Thank you…Ike…"

Ike simply nodded with a smile. Just then, the two continued to gaze at each other, realizing how close their faces were. Ike, feeling a little nervous, remembered his conversation with Titania back at the mercenary fort and then couldn't help but smile at the beautiful young queen standing before him. His cheeks turned a rosy red within the next few seconds. Elincia noticed it right away.

"Hee hee. You're blushing," she pointed out, causing Ike to go red even more. "Whatever is the matter?"

"Well, I…I…," he replied, having trouble forming a complete sentence.

"Shhh," Elincia interrupted, putting a finger to Ike's mouth. Her face began to move closer to Ike's with every second, and soon her lips were pressed against his. Ike, wide-eyed at first, couldn't help but return the passionate kiss and let his hands slip around Elincia's waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck. Ike had soon completely forgotten about whether or not Elincia was simply thanking him when she'd kissed him on the cheek and whether or not he really meant to say to Titania that Elincia was kind and beautiful, and knew now the answer had finally been made. It truly had been budding love after all. Once they had let go of each other, they walked back to the door from which they'd first come out. What they didn't know was that someone was watching them from behind a nearby bush. _I knew it_, Oscar thought as he sat there. His guess about Ike being in love with Elincia was correct, having seen the opportunity to find out when he saw the two go outside.

"I love you," Ike finally managed to spit out. He knew he meant it too. All this time, he had fallen in love with her, and she must have known it. Otherwise, Elincia wouldn't have made him realize it in the first place. She smiled and rested her head and hands upon Ike's chest. Ike responded by keeping one arm around her waist.

"Oh…I love you ever so much too," Elincia admitted. "I will admit it, Ike. I've been in love with you since Gallia."

"That long, eh?" Ike said, remembering when he and the mercenaries had to escort Elincia to see King Caineghis in Gallia, which had not been too long after they first met.

"Hee hee…" she giggled again. "At first, I was impressed by how handsome you are." This statement caused Ike to blush again, and Elincia to further her giggling even more.

"Then, I could only love you more after seeing your strength and courage in battle and your burning desire to fulfill my dream of a liberated Crimea," Elincia went on. "You even spoke up whenever you thought someone was bullying me! I was forever grateful for everything you'd done and still am. Not even Geoffrey can match that. And when you held my hand in the castle as we walked onto the balcony, I felt like the luckiest princess in the world."

"…Sorry, it's times like this that I have no clue what to say," Ike admitted, scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

"Oh, that's alright," Elincia replied with a smile. "I'd feel the same way, actually."

"Heh. Although, I will say that the reason I chose to do so much for you," Ike said. "Is that I was falling in love with you too. I just wish I'd realized it sooner." Elincia wrapped her arms around Ike's neck and kissed his cheek again before replying.

"But you do now, and that's all that matters to me," she said, not letting go.

"I'm certainly glad of that," Ike replied, putting a hand to her chin. Within the next second, he'd locked lips with her once more. By now, Oscar was smiling to himself, glad to see Ike fully understanding his newfound feelings, as well as Elincia able to admit being practically head over heels in love with Ike. He'd finally realized how late it had gotten when the two let go of one another and began to head for the door, holding hands while doing so. The last time they had done this was the very same balcony scene Elincia described, making it a crucial moment for both. After exchanging a good night kiss, Ike departed back into the castle while Elincia stood at the doorway, many new thoughts in her mind.


	3. Ashes of War: Part 2

Ashes of War

Part 2: Preparation

For the next few minutes, Elincia lingered at the door, deep in thought. She knew, in her heart, that her love for Ike was true and that there was no other who could charm her so. She wanted, desperately, to be with him but was fearful that such a dream might not be possible. She had never cared a whit that he was a commoner, but there were quite a few others who would have very different sentiments on the matter. And, of course, Ike didn't exactly strike her as the sort of man who'd take well to living in the castle. Granted, he hadn't been in too many outside of battling inside one during the war, but she knew that he'd hated staying in Mainal Cathedral. Or, was that because he and Apostle Sanaki had been at odds with each other? Either way, she was worried that Ike would dislike the idea of himself living in the castle as much as her stuck-up advisors.

Elincia had heard the phrase "Love will find a way," but this seemed to be a stretch.

This did not, however, detract from her determination. One thing she'd learned from Ike was that where there was a will, there was a way and that, when things looked impossible, that usually meant that appearances were deceiving.

She was about to head back inside when a notion struck her. She'd almost laughed it off but then, for some reason, she began moving back towards the fountain. Reaching into a satchel at her belt, she produced a gold coin. Holding it gingerly in one gauntleted hand, she quickly glanced around to make sure she was alone. After all, she _was_ a bit old for this kind of thing. She brought the coin up to her eyelevel, noting the profile of her father on its face, and kissing it, both to convey how much she missed him and to ask his spirit for help. Then, she flicked the coin into the air, sending it into the fountain with a little plunk. The coin sank to the bottom, landing face up. Elincia remembered, from a childhood story, that such a thing meant luck was with her...and she hoped that was so.

At that moment, something else landed in the fountain, causing the water to ripple. But, whatever it was didn't hit the bottom as the coin did. Glancing up, Elincia saw why; it had begun to rain. She'd been about to head back inside then, when something else caught her eye. One of the hedges had begun to tremble, though not from any wind. And, amidst the dark green and numerous flowers, Elincia spied a moving flash of blue.

For a breathless instant, she thought it might be Ike, but then her common sense interjected. Ike was heading in the _opposite_ direction, and she'd been facing that same hedge while in front of the fountain. Ike could not have reached it, much less clambered under it, without her seeing him. Warily, she began to move back towards the door. Before she reached it however, a navy blue blur darted out and leapt towards her. She could just make out the long snout and wickedly sharp fangs of a wolf.

"AAAH!" Elincia screamed, drawing her sword, Amiti. The wolf attempted to tackle her, forcing her to the ground where she could be swiftly killed, but Elincia had managed to sidestep the lunge and slash the wolf with her sword, causing the creature to crash to the ground.

"Queen Elincia!" Oscar shouted, emerging from his hiding place and forgetting about secrecy. He jumped out from behind his own bush and charged with his lance at the angry-eyed wolf.

"Oscar! Where did you…?" Elincia began, bewildered at his sudden appearance.

"There's no time to explain! Take cover while I deal with this!" Oscar commanded. A frightened Elincia willingly obeyed, racing to hide in the doorway of the corridor in which Ike had gone down. She had hoped that all the noise from the combat would attract the attention of the castle's night patrol, but no one seemed to be coming. Most likely, they were watching the various castle entrances and, since the garden was well inside of the castle, it wasn't being watched. Realizing no help would be coming, she watched fearfully as Oscar continued attempting to drive his lance into the wolf's flesh. Oscar was an expert lance fighter with dozens of battles behind him, but the wolf was impossibly fast. The wolf leapt to the side to avoid one of Oscar's lunges and, before Oscar could draw back his lance, the creature had slashed Oscar's left arm with its claws. Oscar noted, with more than a bit of fright, that those claws had torn right through the leather straps of his bracers. That same leather had taken the brunt of the attack, but this was not too reassuring. If those claws could tear through leather so easily, he shuddered to think of what they could do to skin. He kept trying to ward off the wolf's attacks, but the creature was simply too fast. It darted around and then behind Oscar, sinking its teeth into his leg. Oscar cried out in pain, lost his footing and fell over, but he was not about to give up yet. He still had his lance firmly in hand and readied it again. The wolf, either overconfident or maddened at the scent of the blood, didn't bother to seek an advantageous angle but simply leapt at Oscar for the killing blow. While the creature was still in the air, Oscar thrust his weapon into the creature's chest.

The wolf howled in pain and rage, slashing and, struggling to break free of Oscar's weapon. One blow struck the lance knight's chest plate, tearing through the leather straps holding it in place and making his chest plate fall loose. The wolf's next strike got under the chest plate, sharp claws raking Oscar's chest. The lance knight bellowed in pain, and used what little strength he had remaining to throw the wolf to the ground beside him. It died in seconds from the mortal blow to its chest. Oscar, exhausted and wracked with pain, simply lay there on the ground, realizing fearfully that the wolf must have been one of the laguz that invaded Daein. Could an attack on Crimea already be underway? He tried to get up, but the wounds in his leg and arm were too painful and he collapsed again almost immediately. Elincia gasped and ran beside him to his aid, fearful for his life.

"Oscar, no!" she cried in terror. "Are you alright?"

"No…" he replied. His voice was hoarse and he began coughing from the wounds in his chest. "It's pretty bad… You've got to go get Ike and quickly…"

"But…I don't want to leave you by yourself!" Elincia refused. "What if there are more of them?"

"I'll be fine… There doesn't appear to be anymore wolves…" Oscar stammered, his breathing becoming ragged. "If there were more here, they would've attacked by now. Just go get Ike…and fast…"

"…Alright. Just hold on!" Elincia pleaded, rising and racing towards the door Ike had gone through. She had wracked her memory to recall where Ike's room might be and how to get there, but had come up empty. The castle was gigantic, _she_ still got lost in it, and so she resorted to calling his name as she loudly could. But, this didn't help much either; by now, everyone in this section of the castle was fast asleep and not easily roused. The only people still awake were the night patrols and, if their absence from the battle was any indication, they were far out of earshot. Unable to find Ike in the halls, Elincia then sought to find him in his room. She worriedly dashed up the stairs leading to the upper halls, almost losing her balance and falling over. Frantically, she looked up and down the corridor for Ike, calling his name again. Elincia soon spotted him, just as he was opening his door near the opposite end of the corridor, and raced over to him.

"Ike! IKE!" she cried in a frightened tone. Ike heard her this time and turned away from his door to face her.

"Elincia? What's wrong?" Ike wondered puzzled and alarmed as Elincia collided with his gut and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, Ike, something terrible has happened!" Elincia exclaimed, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"Huh? What's going on?" Ike inquired, clearly worried.

"It's Oscar! He's been hurt very badly! He could be dying!"

"What?" Ike exclaimed, his eyes widening. "You can't be serious! We were the only ones awake in the inner castle and nothing was out there!"

"No, apparently he was out there behind a bush for some reason," Elincia replied. She went on to explain the events that had occurred just moments after Ike had left. The appearance of the laguz wolf, Oscar's inexplicable presence, his battle with it, and how he'd only barely managed to defeat it gave Ike a shock. He never thought one of the wolves would already be within Crimean borders…and, the implications made him suddenly fearful for far more than his brave friend.

"What? A laguz wolf in Crimea?" Ike blurted, shocked. "Oh no… Come on!"

With that, the two of them rushed back down the stairs to find Oscar. Their fatigue forgotten in the urgency, Ike and Elincia retraced their path back through the darkened corridors back to where they first were. Coming to a sudden halt in the doorway, Ike's mouth dropped open when he saw Oscar struggling to get to his feet, his chest plate torn loose, and blood flowing from wounds on his neck, arms, legs, and chest. The wound to his chest looked especially serious and Oscar was coughing again. His lance was still lodged in the wolf, whose dead body was still laying motionless on the ground nearby. Ike immediately rushed to Oscar's side and helped him up.

"Oscar! Blast… You're a mess!" Ike realized in a worried tone. "How could I have been so stupid? I should've guessed those wolves had tracked those convoys back here! I mean they're wolves!"

Oscar coughed again as Ike helped him inside the castle.

"No, Ike…don't…blame yourself," Oscar stammered. "Queen Elincia was right… Those wolves are…very strong. They're fast too, I couldn't keep up with him."

"Oscar, stop!" Elincia pleaded. "Don't talk anymore! Save your strength!"

"Elincia's right, Oscar. We need to get you to Rhys and Mist right away," Ike agreed. "Save your strength and just relax."

"Yes…hurry…" Oscar gasped out, still in a great deal of pain. Ike, with Oscar's arm around his shoulder, brought the severely wounded lance knight upstairs to where the rest of the mercenaries were asleep. Oscar had been walking for some of the distance but, by the time they got up the stairs, he was leaning almost completely on Ike for support and he seemed increasingly dizzy and disoriented. Ike sighed with great concern as he thought the serious matter over. The wolf attack could indicate that the tribe had already crossed the border, but whether or not it was so, he couldn't be sure. Maybe the lone wolf was a scout, sent ahead of a larger force? Or, maybe the rest of the wolves were still in Daein and had sent the wolf here to see if Crimea might be preparing to disrupt their plans.

_Damn straight, if I have anything to say about it!_ Ike thought uncharitably.

Just as he, Oscar, and Elincia passed by Titania's room, her door began to creak open. The red-headed mercenary captain stood in the doorway, looking quite different without her armor and her hair unbound, and yawning drowsily.

"What's going on out here? I thought I heard—OSCAR!" Titania gasped, snapping awake. "What on earth—?"

"Wolf attack," Ike replied succinctly. "I need to get Rhys."

"What? You mean they've already reached Crimea?" Titania wondered.

"Not sure."

Just then, Rhys's door, just across from Titania's, had opened. Rhys himself walked out, no doubt curious about all the commotion.

"Hey, what's—Yaaaah! Oscar! What in the world…?" he blurted, his always pale face turning paler still at the sight of Oscar's wounds. "Who did this to you?"

"A wolf laguz," Ike repeated. "I'm so sorry. Elincia knows the story better." Elincia nodded and explained the wolf attack again for Titania and Rhys.

"Oh no…this isn't good at all," Titania replied. "How can they already have crossed the border?"

"But…it was only one of them…" Oscar protested. "Daugh!"

Gasping at the pain, Oscar began to lose his balance. Elincia and Ike both caught him before he collapsed again.

"Oscar, please! Don't waste your strength!" Elincia insisted.

"Yes, please don't!" Ike added. "Rhys, you and Mist can heal him, right?"

"Of course, but with wounds like these, it will take some time," Rhys replied. "You can leave Oscar with me. I'll do what I can for him now and wake Mist later to finish the healing."

"Alright, just make sure he recovers and that both of you get some sleep," Ike instructed. "I still want to set out in the morning. It's even more urgent now, if the wolves really are starting to cross the border."

With that, Ike and Titania helped Oscar into Rhys's room and Rhys began healing the lance knight's wounds right away. Titania, still worried about Oscar, retreated back to her own room. Ike and Elincia stood in the hall for a few minutes more. Now that the immediate danger had passed, their fatigue returned with a vengeance and both were getting sleepier by the second. Ike could feel his eyelids begin to droop, but forced them to stay open. Elincia was showing signs of fatigue as well, yawning and swaying in place.

"Ike…Oscar will be okay, right?" Elincia inquired, trying to sound calm, but not quite succeeding.

"Yeah, he'll be fine with Rhys and Mist helping him," Ike replied, confident despite his own concerns. "Well, it's really late now. You should get some sleep."

"I know… We both should, but Ike, I'm worried," Elincia admitted. "That laguz nearly killed Oscar… I don't want to see the same happen to the rest of you…"

"Don't worry, Elincia. I have a plan," Ike informed her with a smile. "Up until now, the only one who could give us information on these wolves has been Jerec, and I kinda doubt he'd help us. But now, Oscar can tell us how the creature fought, so we know what to expect. Then we'll be prepared."

"Well, alright…" Elincia agreed, not quite relieved but no longer as worried as she was before. "Let's get some sleep now. I love you, Ike… Good night."

She kissed Ike one more time.

"I love you too," Ike replied when they were done. "Sleep well."

Elincia headed back to her room, but Ike did not follow suit. He was still puzzled by how that wolf had gotten so far inside the castle without anyone noticing and he was still worried that there might be more wolves where that first one had come from. So, he hiked over to the castle gates and took aside one of the night sentries. Ike didn't know any of the castle's sentries by name, in fact, he didn't know any of the sentries, period, but this one looked both sharp witted and reliable. Ike informed the sentry of what had happened, asked him to investigate the gardens to find out what he could and to keep the matter between the two of them in order to prevent a panic in the castle. Ike concluded by telling the sentry to deliver his findings to Ike's room in the morning, as early as possible. With this accomplished, Ike returned to his own room and fell asleep almost immediately.

The next morning, Ike lazily rolled over on his bed, still tired from being awake so late the previous night. A lot of things had been on his mind before he had finally fallen asleep. A good strategy would have to be thought out before facing a tribe like the wolves, especially if Oscar getting wounded the way he did was any indication. Ike started to roll over again and began to stir from the light coming through the window. Since he was near the bed's edge, however, he simply fell off right onto the floor. The young commander awoke with a start as he came crashing to the floor and sighed.

"Ow…I can't believe that just happened…" he grumbled, embarrassed. Ike suddenly stood up and had begun putting his boots on when he heard footsteps outside of his door. Thinking everyone else was nearly ready by now and that he'd overslept, Ike quickly threw on his cape, armor, and headband. He grabbed his sword, threw the door open midstride, and charged into the corridor. To his surprise, the only person in the hall was Mist, her staff across her shoulder and her sword sheathed at her hip. She smiled when she saw her brother emerge from his room.

"Ike!" she exclaimed. "You're sure fast at getting ready! Everyone else is still in their rooms!"

"Really? Well then…" Ike replied, relieved he hadn't overslept after all. "How's Oscar? Did you and Rhys finish with him?"

"Oh yeah, we did," Mist replied, seeming to shudder at the subject. "His injuries were awful. Rhys told me what you and Elincia told him. Poor guy…"

"Yeah…but he's fine now?"

"Yep. He's as good as new."

"Good. I need to talk to him before we go," Ike explained. "We need to know about the wolf that attacked him, plus, I still wonder why he was even out there in the first place…"

"I bet he was watching you!" Mist suggested with a laugh.

"What? That's ridiculous," Ike protested. "There's no reason for him to spy on Elincia and I. Or…is there?"

Ike suddenly recalled Titania telling him that Oscar had mentioned Elincia when they were conversing about Ike's fighting with Boyd and a suspicion entered Ike's head. He put his hands on his hips in annoyance when he thought of a _very_ likely reason for Oscar to spy on him and Elincia outside in the castle garden. Ike turned around and started down the corridor to seek out the lance knight. He definitely wanted an explanation for his actions, and he wanted it now.

"Oscar!" Ike called. "Report to me at once!"

A door not far down from Rhys's opened and Oscar stepped out, completely healed and his armor already strapped on again.

"I'm right here, just a second," Oscar replied. He quickly dashed back into his room, grabbed his helmet and lance, and raced back out to rejoin Ike in the corridor.

"Alright, can you explain why you were outside last night?" Ike inquired, a bit testily. "Mist says you were probably spying on Elincia and I."

"Well…I…I was. I'm sorry," Oscar apologized. "But I had to. When I saw you and Elincia out there from a window, I saw an opportunity."

"For what?"

"To find something out," Oscar explained, his tone still a bit sheepish.

"Aha, so you did think I was in love with her, didn't you?" Ike guessed. "I see now. That was actually a smart move."

"Yeah…I did think so," Oscar admitted. "But really? It was a good idea?"

"Yeah. I do love her and of course, you knew that already," Ike replied, a sad smile on his face. "I just didn't realize it before. That's why I kept getting sore at Boyd and letting myself argue with him. I missed Elincia."

Suddenly, more footsteps echoed from behind Ike. He turned around to see Titania, Boyd, and Mia joining him, Oscar, and Mist. Titania had a smile on her face, hands on her hips.

"Well, looks like Oscar was right after all," she stated. "Ike's in love with Queen Elincia."

"He is? Hee hee," Mia giggled. "I always knew he was a lady's man!"

"Oh wow, I would've never guessed this would happen," Boyd quipped sarcastically. He, too, had put on a smile.

"Ike and Elincia, sitting in a tree," Mist began in an annoying, sing-song voice.

Ike slapped his face in embarrassment.

"Alright, now cut that out!" he demanded. "I'll admit to being in love with her, even if I hadn't realized until recently how much she meant to me. Speaking of which, Oscar, if you hadn't been there, then that wolf probably would have killed her. I owe you, big time."

Oscar, blushing a bit from the praise, waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh, think nothing of it," he replied, still a bit embarrassed. "I know you'd do the same for me."

A cunning look, and more than a hint of a smirk, crossed Ike's features.

"Really? So, who is she?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I just thanked you for saving the woman I love and you said I'd do the same for you. So, I ask again, who is she?"

By this point, Titania, Mia, Boyd and Mist had all turned to face Oscar, curious as to his answer.

"No one," Oscar replied, his voice a bit shaky. "I mean, I'm not taken. I meant if I was, I'm sure you would've saved her if she'd been in danger and I wasn't there."

Nobody looked convinced, and Mist and Mia looked like they were already mulling over who Oscar might be fond of.

"Well, I'm not convinced," Ike admitted. "But that's not important right now. Oscar, describe the wolf's attack."

"Right, of course," Oscar agreed. He then explained that the wolf had retained its transformed state through the entire time, never reverting to its human form. It attacked with both its teeth and claws and moved at unbelievable speeds, weaving away from Oscar's attacks and slashing at Oscar's flesh when it had the opportunity. It moved so quickly, Oscar could barely be quick enough to strike it at all. Once he was on the ground, however, he managed to defeat it with a stab to the chest as it leaped at him once more. Elincia was able to deflect one attack with Amiti by sidestepping the creature and slashing at it in midair. Ike listened carefully to the report and thought it over before coming up with a plan.

"Going head-to-head with them sounds pretty risky," he concluded. "I think it would be best to try and hit them from a distance, especially when they're looking somewhere else and won't see it coming. That means those of us who can use bows, hand axes, javelins and magic should stock up on those and everybody else should bring shields. These wolves seem to favor jumping attacks, and a shield could knock out of the air."

"But a shield would cramp my style!" Mia whined.

"So could getting torn to pieces," Oscar pointed out, to which Mia had to agree.

"So, now that we know what we're dealing with, does that mean we don't have to take that jerk Jerec with us after all?" Mist asked, clearly hoping Ike would say 'yes.'

"It's tempting," Ike admitted. "But, Elincia _did_ say he was hard to confine. He'd probably get out of the castle and follow us anyway."

Ike was about to say more when a sentry, the same sentry he'd spoken to last night, approached him and handed him a sheet of folded parchment.

"For you," he informed Ike simply, and then returned to his post.

"It is a _love_ note?" Mist wondered teasingly.

"Actually, no," Ike replied. "I asked him to check out the garden last night, to find out what he could about the wolf. Here's what he found."

Ike read the note, paraphrasing it to his friends. Apparently, the sentry discovered that the wolf had been in the garden for some time, perhaps _days_. There was a small tunnel dug into the garden, the entrance hidden by a cluster of trees, with its opposite end at a patch of overgrowth beyond the Melior. The tunnel had been dug at least a week ago, but had been so well hidden that it had not been found. The sentry also determined that the wolf had been staking out the garden, likely to watch the comings and goings in case it heard or saw anything important. The wolf had concealed its presence by moving on the grass whenever possible and, when forced to walk on the dirt, had swept away its tracks using its tail. The sentry had also written that he had no way to tell whether the wolf had targeted Elincia or, seeing her in the garden in the middle of the night, simply tried to take advantage of an opportunity. Here, the sentry determined, it waited until Ike was out of earshot but made a fatal mistake by not checking to see if Elincia was, indeed, alone.

"Pretty good for a sentry," Titania commented, impressed. "You should recommend him for a promotion, or a raise at least."

"I just might," Ike agreed. "For now though, Titania, tell the others to meet with the rest of us down at the castle gate. We'll be leaving from there."

"Yes sir!" Titania replied.

With that, Ike and the rest of the group started downstairs to the main gates of the castle. Titania went to find Shinon, Rolf, Gatrie, and Soren while Elincia followed Ike. Ike, feeling more ready than ever for the mission, led the others through the foyer and joined Geoffrey and Lucia, who were awaiting them by the gate. Geoffrey greeted the team with a smile and a wave of his hand, his brave lance glinting in the sunlight.

"All set, Ike?" he inquired, eager to depart as well. "Lucia and I will be joining you again along with a portion of the Crimean army, is that alright?"

"Of course. In fact, we could use all the help we can get, especially after what happened to Oscar last night," Ike replied. "It's best if you keep some soldiers here on duty too. You've got to be ready for anything when it comes to these wolves, and they've already gotten in here once."

"Whoa, back up. What happened to Oscar? And what do you mean the wolves have already gotten in?" Geoffrey wondered with curiosity and some alarm.

"A laguz wolf attacked," Oscar cut in. He then explained the whole event to Geoffrey and Lucia, from when he came outside, to the wolf's appearance, to the battle and to how badly hurt he'd gotten from struggling to win the fight. Ike then finished by relaying the sentries' findings that the wolf have burrowed its way in some time ago and had been lurking in the garden, unseen, for days.

"What? Are you serious?" Geoffrey replied, shocked.

"Oh dear… This is not good at all," Lucia murmured.

"Indeed," Oscar agreed. "It was only one wolf, though, so I don't think we really have much to worry about so long as the castle guards stay alert and seal off the tunnel."

"Yeah, we'll find out why it was there when we meet with this tribe," Ike added. "So, let's not waste anymore time."

"Alright, we'll take your word for it," Geoffrey agreed. "Before we leave, I'll make certain any areas these wolves can burrow into are being watched. Any plans for when we meet them?"

"Yes, one," Ike replied as they all started outside to join the Crimean army. As they awaited Titania's arrival with the remainder of the mercenaries, Ike explained his plan to Lucia and Geoffrey which included attacking the wolves either by surprise or from a distance as well as having melee fighters equipped with shields to ward of the wolves' leaping attacks. That would mean Rolf, Shinon, Boyd, Titania, and anyone else who could wield weapons that were capable of attacking from a distance would be needed for the battle and that anyone who couldn't use a ranged weapon or who could also fight in close quarters would need a shield. Geoffrey agreed and suggested that mounted knights, who could match the wolves' speed, be brought along as well. Ike agreed and, with that, Geoffrey then rounded up everyone who wielded weapons such as bows, hand axes and javelins as well as the cavalry and the heavy foot knights and soldiers who would be using the shields to ward off the wolves' leaping attacks. Ike had been about to join him when Mist arrived, wearing a face splitting smile.

"Elincia wants to see you," she whispered coyly. "She's in the throne room."

Ike needed no further invitation. He made his way to the throne room and pushed aside the heavy wooden door, suddenly reminded of when he'd met Elincia in this very room just after the Mad King's War. She'd been huddled on the throne, terrified of her impending coronation, and fearful that she'd never be fit to be queen. Ike, in his usual curt manner, had argued otherwise and had even managed to put a smile on her face in so doing. Smiling nostalgically at the memory, he entered. Rather than seated on the throne as she was last time, Elincia was standing and gazing out one of the windows. Ike also noted that she was no longer wearing her armor but the orange and gold gown she'd worn through much of the war. This brought a smile to his face, as the colors complimented her bright and loving personality just as surely as the dress complimented her curves. A crown was on her brow; it looked to be of simple but elegant make but it also looked _very_ heavy. Ike moved next to her, curious as to what she was looking at and wondering why she hadn't reacted to his presence. When he followed her gaze, however, he had his answer. Elincia was looking down at the castle gardens, where the dead wolf's body was being removed.

"Something I'd hoped would stop in Crimea after the war ended," she whispered sadly.

Ike, recalling how badly she'd wanted the strife between beorc and laguz to end and realizing how much a blow it must've been to see one killed in front of her. He put a hand on her shoulder and drew her close to him.

"That wolf would've killed you if it could have," he pointed out. "What had to be done, had to be done. Besides, if we do our jobs right in Daein, this won't happen again."

"I hope you're right. My advisors still don't like the idea of helping Daein. Some of them have claimed that Daein will attack us again eventually, given the chance, and that helping them will only make that happen faster."

"Well, we just have to prove them wrong. After all, we did that by getting as far as we have, didn't we?"

Here, Elincia turned to face Ike, a hint of a smile on her face.

"True," she replied. "And, I hope you're right."

For a while, Ike did not reply but simply stood there, marveling at Elincia's beauty. Seeing this, she spread the hem of her gown and twirled to give him a full view.

"I could not help but sense from our...chat the other night that you missed seeing me in this."

"You look beautiful, just like when I first met you."

"Wasn't I lying unconscious on the ground, in the dirt and a pile of dead leaves with at least half that pile stuck in my hair?"

"Well, yeah, but it didn't change what I thought."

Elincia giggled at how sweet Ike could be at times. Ike was not, by any stretch of the imagination, the sort of man who'd be expected to court a highborn woman, much less a queen. He didn't wear gaudy clothes, he didn't strut like a peacock, he didn't parade around in a gilded carriage and he didn't spout cliché poetry (and probably couldn't even if he tried to). But, for all that, Elincia would never trade him for anything. He was sincere, gentle, modest, always kind and, above all, he was loving, loyal and fearless. She reached out and, in an instant, she was in his arms, her head nuzzled against his chest.

"I could stay like this forever," Ike opined, leaning down to kiss Elincia on the cheek.

"Not wearing this," Elincia contradicted, removing her crown and gently setting it down on the window sill.

"I don't mind it," Ike told her with a rakish smile. "It looks good on you."

"I'm glad you think so. When I'm wearing it, I feel like I'm balancing an anvil on my head."

Ike chuckled at the imagery, but he did note that there were hints of bruising along her brow where the crown had been. Gingerly, he kissed the largest bruise, listening to Elincia purr happily.

"See?" Ike quipped. "All better. You know, maybe when this is over, we should get away for a bit. You look like you could use the rest."

"I'd like that," Elincia answered. "Though I might have to pull a few strings to make it happen. Just, please, come back safely."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

They'd been about to kiss again when a familiar, and unwelcome voice cut in.

"I see this particular mercenary doesn't just take money as payment."

Ike turned to face the door, scowling at Jerec's equally angry face.

"What do you want?"

"The troops are ready to leave, and have been for the past ten minutes. Are you planning on joining them? Or, did you decide you don't much like the idea of adding yourself to this buffet you've lined up for the sub-humans?"

Ike was about to voice his displeasure with Jerec's presence and choice of words, probably with his fist, but Elincia beat him to it.

"Call them that again, and you'll be returning to Daein alone."

Jerec glared back at Elincia, his expression one of undisguised hatred, but then he calmed himself and offered a curt nod.

"Very well, Your Majesty."

Ike swore he detected some rude sarcasm in Jerec's tone, and wanted to punch him for it, but he saw Elincia shake her head. Dropping the idea, he gave her a quick kiss and, with more than a hint of reluctance, Ike left Elincia's company and headed towards the castle gate. Along the way, a bow knight approached Ike and snapped a quick salute.

"General Ike, sir! We are proud to be of service to you once more!" the soldier declared with loyalty and enthusiasm. "We'll do our best for you and General Geoffrey."

"Alright, thank you," Ike replied. He soon reached fields beyond the castle where Geoffrey had gathered the Crimean army. Sure enough, Geoffrey was true to his word and a strong force of cavalry and light and heavy infantry was ready, equipped with shields and stocked up on ranged weapons. Jerec moved among the Crimean troops, eyeing them critically, and they seemed even less pleased with his presence. Just then, Titania appeared riding over the castle drawbridge, followed by Shinon, Rolf, Soren, and lastly Gatrie, who was lagging behind due to his heavy armor. The group came to a halt at the gate to join their commander, armed and ready for battle.

"Hey, wait up!" Gatrie called, arriving at least a few seconds after everyone else, as usual. "It's not easy moving fast in this armor, you know!"

"…Okay, now that everyone's here, let's go!" Ike commanded.

They began to march, Ike at the head of the column. Before they could even leave the castle grounds, however, another voice behind them started shouting at them from behind.

"Ike! Wait just a minute!" the voice called. It was Elincia running towards them from the gate, nearly tripping over her gown and holding something in her hand.

"Huh? Elincia?" Ike replied happily, turning around. Elincia came to a halt in front of Ike, her long green hair flowing behind her.

"Here, Ike. Take this elixir with you," Elincia insisted, handing him the vile of healing liquid in her hand. "Please…just in case."

"Good idea. Of course," Ike replied with a smile. He took the elixir from Elincia's hand and packed it away. Returning his attention to Elincia, he thanked her and then glanced at Geoffrey. A sudden impulse came to him; he had wondered for some time if the commander of the Crimean Knights might be in love with Elincia. She _did_, after all, plead with Ike to break the siege of Delbray Castle where Geoffrey and his men had been surrounded. Perhaps, now that he had realized how he felt for the queen, he should find out. Before anyone knew it, Ike kissed Elincia again, despite the fact he knew the entire army, including the mercenaries were watching. Glancing at Geoffrey out of the corner of his eye, Ike wondered how he would react to the scene. Geoffrey seemed startled by what he was seeing, but did not make any move to interfere. He just blinked and raised his eyebrows, watching the pair unblinkingly. The soldiers just stared in awe, some of them whispering about a "betting pool," while the reaction of the mercenaries varied. Boyd and Mia fist-pumped, Mist let out a quiet cheer, Gatrie had been about to shout something to Ike, probably something inappropriate, but Oscar cut him off while Shinon just rolled his eyes and Titania folded her arms, smiling and mouthing the word "grandchildren." Lucia simply nodded her head and smiled to herself.

"Well…" Ike began afterward. "We'd better get going. I promise I'll make sure all of us return, alright?"

"Yes… Thank you, Ike," Elincia replied. "Goodbye. I love you…"

"And I you," Ike answered with a smile. "We'll all be back."

With that, the whole group followed their young general out of the castle grounds and on to the Crimea-Daein border.


	4. Ashes of War: Part 3

Ashes of War

Part 3: The Battle of the Beast

The distance between Melior and the Daein border was sizable, and Ike already knew that moving an army over a long distance would take quite a while. On foot and on horseback, the army marched for some ten to fourteen hours a day, stopping periodically to pitch camp and rest. At first, there was very little talking since Ike was still concerned that there might be other wolves within Crimea's borders but, after three days had passed without seeing the enemy, he relaxed and there was chatter aplenty. Along the way, Ike let his thoughts wander out of boredom. First, he reminded himself to put his signature move, Aether, to good use again to compete with the strength of the wolves. Even without Ragnell, Aether was one of the most powerful skills Ike had learned. It was a skill that combined the power of two other skills, Luna and Sol, into a devastating blow that even the most powerful enemy could rarely withstand and which killed lesser foes easily. Ike had used it in order to defeat the Black Knight, one of Daein's Four Riders, and avenge the death of his father. Now, he decided that the skill would be needed once again and was glad he'd kept training with it in the past, despite the fact that Aether had rarely been necessary to win during the battles he'd fought as a mercenary since the war ended. The wolf tribe would know know what hit them.

Ike had been rather pleased with how things were going...until Jerec made himself known again.

"Keep on like this, and we'll be lucky if there's anyone _left_ in Daein to save! Can't you make this lot move any faster?"

Ike, again fighting down the urge to punch Jerec, pointed towards the column with his thumb.

"If you have any bright ideas, now's the time," he intoned, his voice steely.

Jerec, Ike knew, was impatient and frustrated but Ike was very close to losing his temper with the Daein halberdier. Ike had considered the situation carefully. Contrary to Jerec's claims, the wolf laguz who attacked Oscar could not bite straight through armor, so Ike had decided that armored infantry such as soldiers and foot knights would be best suited to fight the wolves head-to-head. Not only could their armor offer better protection but they could use their shields to block the wolves' leaping attacks and, since their armor was so heavy, a foot knight could likely take a wolf's leap full on without suffering harm. This, combined with all the ranged combatants to strike the wolves from a distance and the cavalry who could match their speed, meant that the force was well equipped to deal with the wolves. On top of all this, Ike had ordered Geoffrey and Lucia to act as guides since they knew the eastern lands of Crimea best and could find easy routes and shortcuts for the army. For all of Jerec's complaining, Ike and the mercenaries had done an incredible job assembling the army and getting them as far and as fast as they had already. Jerec, by contrast, had offered nothing but complaints and promises of defeat.

Ike locked gazes with Jerec, daring the Daein halberdier to continue speaking. Eventually, with a snort of disgust, Jerec broke the stare and turned his gaze back towards the border. Ike, grinding his teeth in aggravation, continued marching. By this time the large group was around halfway to the Riven Bridge on the Crimea-Daein border. To the south, Ike could spot the vast range of towering mountains that separated the western and eastern nations of Tellius, far in the distance. On this fifth day of their march, the group had still not met with any of the wolf tribe. Why the one wolf appeared at the castle to attack Oscar was still puzzling Ike. The sentry Ike had ordered to investigate seemed to think that, perhaps, the wolf had been a scout sent to watch the castle and report back to the rest of the tribe or that he'd been sent to strike at Elincia herself. Still, did this mean the wolves were ready to attack Crimea or that they simply wanted to know if Crimea would interfere with their raids in Daein? Ike suspected they might find out at Riven Bridge; if the wolves were preparing to invade, then they might be massing there. A few minutes later, Oscar caught up with Ike on his horse, lance at hand. Once Ike was walking directly next to him, he slowed down and kept a steady pace alongside his commander. His ever-present smile was on his face and he had his lance at hand and looked as if he'd never been attacked at all.

"Hey, Ike, there's something else I forgot to tell you back at the castle," Oscar spoke up.

"Oh?" Ike wondered.

Oscar quickly looked around for Boyd and saw he was far in the back talking with Mia, no doubt both were complaining about the bulky shields they'd both been forced to equip themselves with. Oscar turned his always squinting eyes back to Ike.

"Yeah, it's about Boyd. I talked to him that night he and you fought, after you two stormed off," Oscar whispered, clearly wanting this conversation to be private. "He seems to be jealous of you."

"What? Why would he be jealous of me?"

"He says it's because you had Ragnell, took over the company so soon after you joined, and because he thought Elincia liked you," Oscar explained.

"Oh…I don't mean to make him feel that way. I wouldn't want anyone to feel that way, in fact," Ike replied. "He sure was right about that last part, though. I now know that Elincia is pretty much madly in love with me…and vice-versa."

"Heh, I can imagine!" Oscar agreed with a small chuckle. "I mean you're Ike. I can't imagine any girls not falling for a good-looking, passionate guy like you. I'm serious. Remember Aimee?"

Ike groaned upon hearing the name.

"Ugh…do you have to bring her up? That was so embarrassing."

During the Mad King's War, a group of merchants had travelled with Ike and company, providing them with supplies and storage in their wagons for surplus equipment. Ike had gotten along fairly well with the weapons merchant Muston, though the twins, Jorge, who specialized in made-to-order items and Daniel, who handled re-sales, rubbed him the wrong way on occasion. Aimee, the apothecary and item merchant, developed a huge crush on Ike and kept trying to win his favor. Ike constantly tried to escape her, but not a day went by without him hearing her call him "Ikey-poo" or "handsome" or her flirting with him whenever he had the unenviable task of restocking the company's supplies from her wares. Soren eventually started teasing him about it, shouting out in the camp one day that he got something quite valuable from "Ikey-poo's" admirer.

"Yeah, but it proves my point," Oscar replied. "You don't need to worry now, though. You're taken."

"True. Though I'd hate to think about how Aimee would react if I told her that," Ike pointed out with a shudder. "Then again, if I didn't, she'd still chase me and Elincia would eventually find out…and all hell would break loose."

"Oh come on, quit worrying," Oscar interrupted. "It's not like you're going to see her in Daein or anything."

"Yeah, true."

Unfortunately, Oscar was contradicted as the group came to a fork in the road. Coming straight towards them was a group of merchants. Ike, with a sinking feeling in his gut, recognized Jorge and Daniel, as well as Ilyana, the ever hungry thunder mage. Muston soon appeared as well and, to Ike's utter terror, he saw none other than Aimee herself next to the weapon merchant. Nervous, if not terrified, he stopped dead in his tracks as Oscar looked at the merchants and then at Ike in astonishment. Ike began backing away slowly, but Soren walked up before he could get very far, a teasing grin on his face and hands on his hips. Apparently, he hadn't forgotten Aimee either.

"Well, well, Ike, look who's coming your way," Soren announced, chuckling. "It's your old admirer!"

Ike gritted his teeth.

"Will you shut up?" he demanded. "…I am so out of here. I'm not letting her embarrass me in front of the whole army. And I don't even want to think about what Shinon and Jerec would say if they saw this."

With that, Ike backed away even further and dashed behind a tree. Soren caught a glimpse of it, however, and chuckled to himself. Titania, briefly confused by Ike's sudden change in behavior, looked ahead and noticed the cause as well.

"Oh, Ike! Must you always do this when she shows up?" she called. Ike didn't answer, absorbed in making himself scarce. He just stood quietly behind his tree carefully leaning out to watch the merchant band and hoping they'd be back on their way soon. They had, unfortunately, stopped to greet the mercenaries, and surely noticed that Ike was nowhere to be found. Aimee immediately began looking around for him first.

"Yoohoo! Ike! Where are you, handsome?" she called. "Don't you know it's been awhile since we last saw each other?"

Upon hearing it again, Ike sagged behind the tree and groaned in annoyance and embarrassment. The soldiers and Shinon would probably laugh at him until their sides were sore and Jerec would have a fresh batch of insults ready once he caught wind of this. Yet, Shinon already held a grudge against Ike for whatever reason, and Jerec also had a low opinion of the commander. Ike watched as Mia spoke to Ilyana and Soren whispered something to Aimee. Instantly, Aimee headed straight for Ike's tree soon afterward.

"Oh Ike, what are you hiding for?" Aimee inquired. "I just want to say hello!"

"Fine…" Ike replied and came out from behind the tree. "Hello, Aimee. Look, you're a nice lady and all, but I'm taken, alright?"

"Taken? Don't play hard to get. You weren't taken the last time we met," Aimee pointed out with a smile.

"Yeah, but I am now," Ike insisted. "Honest. You can ask the others if you don't believe me."

"Oh, what a disappointment," Aimee complained, frowning. "Oh well. Like they say, there's plenty more fish in the sea."

"Indeed. Look, we're kind of on a big mission here, so we need to get going," Ike replied, changing the subject. "So good bye for now."

Aimee nodded as Ike hurried back to the group and continued on his way. Before they could get very far, however, Aimee's voice called out to Ike again.

"Oh, hey Ike!" she called. "Soren told me what kinds of food you like! I'm practicing my cooking skills! I should make you a dish someday! Oh yeah, he also said you're available whenever you're not doing mercenary work! Hee hee!"

With that, Ike groaned again and glared at Soren, who was now laughing so hard, he nearly fell flat on his back with his own guffaws.

"Real smooth, Soren," Ike sarcastically retorted. "Thanks a lot."

"Oh come on, usually it's you telling me to lighten up," Soren protested. "You've got to admit it was rather funny that she kept hitting on you in the first place."

"Well, I find it embarrassing. Knock it off," Ike demanded.

"Alright, alright…"

The next day, and after the inevitable needling from Shinon and Jerec, the group was finally approaching Riven Bridge near the coastline marking the border between Crimea and Daein. It was the same bridge where Ike had battled General Petrine, another one of Daein's former Four Riders he had met during the Mad King's War. It was the largest bridge Ike knew of, for it was wide enough for a good number of soldiers to march or stand shoulder-to-shoulder upon it. As a precaution, Ike had Shinon, who was easily the stealthiest of the mercenaries, make his way to a high ridge where he could spy the far side of the bridge. If the wolves were, indeed, prepared to attack Crimea, then they would surely be on the opposite side. To Ike's puzzlement, however, Shinon reported that the far side of the bridge was deserted. Perhaps the wolves were still busy in Daein? Or, maybe they'd returned to wherever they came from? There was, Ike realized, only one way to find out. He ordered the column to begin crossing. Just as they were nearing the other side, however, Ike began to hear noises from behind the trees up ahead. He suddenly halted dead in his tracks and motioned for the group to stop.

"Halt! I heard something! It could be them!" he exclaimed. Everybody stood quiet and listened, anxious hands carefully drawing weapons. More noises were being made through the trees, and pretty soon, two wolves emerged and were running straight for them at fast speeds. One wolf was purple with a ribbon on its ear, suggesting it was a girl, while the other one was a dark red. Ike drew his sword in preparation for attack while the troops closest behind him readied bows, hand axes and javelins. The two wolves, however, did not attack, but merely came to a halt in front of the group and transformed right before them. The red one was a shirtless young man with a brawny figure who looked not much older than Ike. His somewhat unruly hair was a bright red, part of which drooped over his face to conceal his right eye while his arms were lined with strange reddish brown markings. His bushy wolf tail, and pointed wolf ears were the same dark red as his canine body and a dragon teeth necklace hung around his neck. The girl had shoulder length dark pink hair, purple ears and tail and still had the ribbon in one ear. She wore a simple purple feminine top and skirt while her arms and legs bore the same strange markings as her companion.

When the red wolf noticed the many implements of death aimed at him, he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and, after a moment's hesitation and a harsh glare to her red companion, the purple one followed suit.

"We're not here for a fight! We seek pa...par...parl..." the red one began, fumbling over the unfamiliar word.

"Parley?" someone amongst the Crimean army suggested.

"Yes, that's it! Thank you," the red wolf replied, turning to Ike. "This army is from Crimea and you are its commander, correct?"

"Yes," Ike confirmed, lowering his sword but not putting it away. "My name is Ike. But, who are you?"

"I am Kiel, and this is my sister, Sara," the red wolf replied. "We are warriors of the wolf tribe, formerly under the command of "King" Arius."

"'Formerly?'" Ike repeated curiously, noting the sarcasm Kiel use when referring to the king.

"We have deserted," Kiel replied. "Arius is a coward and an opportunist, a disgrace to our tribe."

"Well, if that's true, then you won't mind answering a few questions," Ike suggested, intrigued. "We've come to stop your tribe from taking over our lands. What business does the wolf tribe have in Tellius?"

"Like Kiel said, it's the king," Sara replied. "He wants Daein for his own because he feels our homeland is too small compared to others. Many of our brethren support him, and so he launched this assault."

"Yeah, and when Arius saw Daein, weak and without a ruler, he smelled an opportunity to easily get it for himself," Kiel added. "He wants to control Daein's gold and now, he's trying to get into Crimea too, so that he controls their farmlands as well."

"Well, he's not going to do either. I refuse to let you hurt innocent people and kick them out—"

"Then get your sub-human scum away from Crimea!" Shinon suddenly interrupted. "It's too good a land to fall to the likes of you!"

"Finally, a Crimean who talks sense!" Jerec interjected. "Get out of my sight, and my country, before I turn you both into rugs!"

"Excuse me?" Sara replied indignantly. "It's not our decision, you deranged humans!"

"Oh yeah, just go ahead and make things worse, you two!" Boyd replied in a sarcastic tone.

"Shut your mouths!" Kiel intoned, his hands clenching into fists. "We didn't come here to get insulted."

"Then why not put your money where your paws are and scram?" Shinon shot back.

"Shinon, honestly, this is a bad idea!" Rolf interjected, but his words were drowned out by Jerec.

"And, didn't they say they were deserters? If it's not liars we're dealing with, then it's cowards!"

Soon enough, the two wolves, Rolf, Boyd, Shinon and Jerec were all arguing. Ike, fed up, marched between them to break it up.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, putting his hands between them. "Shinon, not helping. Jerec, do yourself a favor and stay the hell out of my way or you'll _really_ have something to complain about. Rolf and Boyd, let me handle this."

Rolf nodded and stepped back, followed by Boyd, who simply folded his arms in annoyance. Shinon backed off with an angry look on his face and, as always, Jerec glared at Ike with loathing. Ike, still rather annoyed at Shinon and Jerec in particular, turned his attention back towards the two wolf tribe members before him and apologized for the actions of his men. Sara, clearly surprised by the gesture, smiled kindly.

"Thank you, it's fine," she answered. "You're a well-mannered beorc."

"I'm naturally this way," Ike replied, managing a small smile. "Anyway, I'm still puzzled about why you come here, but don't want to fight us."

"Listen, we're not your enemy—" Kiel started, but Ike cut him off.

"If you're not our enemy, why did one of your tribe attack one of my men last night at the Crimean castle?" Ike inquired.

Kiel and Sara exchanged confused glances.

"I'm sorry, we have no idea what you're talking about," Sara admitted, openly perplexed. "Our tribe has only been in Daein, at least so far."

"Not true. Oscar?" Ike directed, signaling him to come forward and tell the wolves of the attack. Oscar nodded and told his tale of the wolf's assault upon him once more.

"What?" Kiel blurted in confusion. "This is insane. We knew that Arius wanted to strike at Crimea, but we never expected him to try it so soon. We sincerely apologize."

"Alright, let's say that's true. However, it still doesn't explain your business here," Ike pointed out. "Let's get back to the two of you. Why did you desert?"

"We realized we couldn't do much on our own," Sara explained. "So, we snuck away from our tribe at the Daein capital. We knew about the convoys from Crimea, and we figured you had to know someone was attacking them by now. So, we set out to seek out soldiers from Crimea. Please, we wish to help you. We're against Arius's decisions and don't like what he's doing to the locals. At all."

"Yes. Please, you have to believe us. Our soldiers are strong and very well-trained. Arius is even stronger. You're going to need our help," Kiel added.

Ike mulled over what they'd told him for several long minutes. He had very little reason to believe them, especially after one of them had attacked Elincia and nearly killed Oscar. But, on the other hand, Ike was no stranger to having help come from surprising places. During the war, a number of Daein soldiers had defected to his army, including a man named Zihark who actually wanted to protect the laguz instead of harm them like most Daeins would. And, Ike had never even seen a laguz before entering Gallia when the war began, yet quickly learned that the laguz were perhaps his greatest allies. Even if these two wolves were trying to deceive him, which, some instinct told him, was doubtful, he would be prepared.

"Hm…I understand," Ike replied. "Then so be it. You'll prove your words by aiding us in battle. I apologize for misunderstanding you."

"Apology accepted, General Ike," Sara answered with a smile. "Now, before we deserted, we discovered something you ought to know. We said earlier that Arius wasn't ready to strike at Crimea yet, but we got the impression that would change very soon. We also found out where the wolf army is going to cross into Crimea. They're heading for the mountains just to the south. They're trying to take a path that is tricky even for us wolves, and which the beorc will likely avoid, even if they know about it."

"Well, they're thinking smart," Ike commented. "It's pretty much impossible for us to get over those mountains and, if we did go all the way to Daein, they would've struck Crimea when we were too far away to stop them. There's one last thing I need to know, however. Does Arius know you're here?"

"I'm not sure," Kiel admitted. "No one noticed us leave at the capital and we didn't see any wolf patrols on our way here. But, if you're asking if Arius has realized that we're gone, I can't be sure."

"Hmmm," Ike mused, considering the possibilities. "Well, I guess we'll find out. Let's go."

Kiel and Sara nodded and traveled with Ike's army back across the bridge and down towards the mountains to the south. Thankfully, the journey would not take as long as traveling from Melior to the bridge. Ike still had no concrete evidence that Kiel and Sara were telling the truth, but he knew they'd find out in, at most, three days. As the group approached the halfway mark of their journey to the tall mountains that separated Crimea from Begnion, dark clouds were beginning to appear in the afternoon sky. They quickly gathered into a threatening ebony mass, showing the potential for some rain or even thunder and lightning. In a short time, the sun was blotted out completely and the air took on a cold dampness that clung to, well, everything. Eventually, the dark clouds made it impossible to see more than a few yards and Ike was obliged to call a halt. Since Ike still wasn't sure if Kiel and Sara were trustworthy, he decided they ought to be confined to a guarded tent. Sara wasn't pleased with the idea, but Kiel was more understanding and even admitted that, had their roles been reversed, he would've done the same thing. Just as they were pitching camp, however, Ike thought he heard the sound of wings flapping. Thinking it was just his imagination, or maybe a trick of the wind, he went pack to pitching his tent. Soon, he heard the noise again and looked up in the sky. Standing out against the otherwise black horizon was a Pegasus and rider flying right towards his group. Upon squinting to take a closer look, Ike realized it was Elincia, all suited up in her own armor and equipped with Amiti and a Mend staff.

"Ike!" Elincia called out as landed her Pegasus right next to her lover.

"Elincia? What did you come out here for?" Ike wondered, astonished at her presence.

"Well, I felt you might need a little more help, so I decided to join you again," Elincia explained. "I _can_ heal wounds after all. That should be helpful. Besides, the castle is still well guarded in case more wolves try to get in."

"I don't know, Elincia…" Ike said, scratching the back of his head. "I want you to remain safe, especially after what happened in the castle garden."

"Ike, please! I promise I'll be careful," Elincia pleaded.

"…Alright. But if you get hurt even once out there, you're off the battlefield," Ike ordered. Elincia nodded in agreement.

Ike was about to say more, something about how much he'd missed her since leaving Melior, but a certain surly halberdier made himself known yet again.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me! Letting her on the battlefield? She is untried!"

"'Untried?'" Elincia repeated, her tone incredulous. "I fought at Fort Pinell, Nados Castle, and Melior, amongst the largest battles of the war. Have _you_ been better tried?"

Jerec's glare hardened.

"This is sheer lunacy! First, she thinks those paltry handouts will be enough to mend fences, then she disappears when I call on her for help, after that, she brings in the same mercenaries who left my home in ruins and, to top it all off, she joins this suicidal venture. Our "General," however, starts out by snogging the queen when both of them should be focused on their duties, then he marches us at a snail's pace to the bridge, after that he turns around on the advice of a pair of sub—excuse me, _laguz_ deserters and now he's actually agreed to let a pampered little princess on the battlefield. I don't know who's the greater idiot!"

A malevolent smile overtook Ike's features as he replied.

"Well, since Elincia and I are both such "idiots" and you're following us both, I nominate you," Ike retorted, prompting a snicker from Elincia.

At this, Jerec finally lost his temper. He hefted his lance, thrusting it at Ike with killing intent. But, Ike sidestepped the blow, grabbing the lance's shaft and using it to launch Jerec into the air where he came crashing down in the dirt. Jerec had lost his grip on his lance, and thus Ike still held it, but this didn't stop Jerec from charging headlong at the commander. Again, Ike sidestepped Jerec, slapping his back with the lance's shaft and pitching him to the ground. Jerec got up and charged once more but Ike stopped him by thrusting the pommel of the lance into Jerec's gut. The Daein halberdier sagged to his knees in pain and defeat. Ike considered a further reprimand, though a verbal one rather than physical, but then reconsidered. Jerec had lost his father, had seen his country torn to pieces first by the war and then the wolves and had now lost his dignity by having the stuffing beaten out of him with his own weapon. As irritating as Jerec was, he'd suffered enough. His mind made up, Ike grasped Jerec's hand and shoulder and hauled him to his feet, handing over the lance.

"Report to the healers," Ike ordered. "And, when they're done with you, you are confined to your tent until dawn."

Jerec still looked angry, and more than a little puzzled at being let off so easily, but he complied nonetheless. After he was gone, Ike and Elincia conversed by the campfire. Apparently, Elincia had been following them for some time now but had only recently caught up, which explained how she'd known to come to the mountains instead of the bridge. Ike, in turn, told her about the meeting with Kiel and Sara and what he'd learned about Arius. Elincia was quite surprised to learn that wolves had joined Ike and even asked to meet the pair, but Ike decided it would be best if that happened after Kiel and Sara had proven their truthfulness. As might be expected, Geoffrey and Lucia were less-than-pleased that Elincia had gone back on her word and given them a _very_ big reason to worry by arriving on the battlefield. Both had made it quite clear that, if she didn't follow Ike's terms to the letter, she wouldn't be able to so much as leave her bedroom without a protective escort. They also made it very clear that Ike would _not_ be sharing a tent with her, despite Elincia's pleading and assurance that nothing untoward would happen.

The next morning showed no break in the overcast, but there was enough light to see and the group began marching around the foothills of the mountains. Kiel explained to them about the mountain trail the wolves would use and pointed out where Arius and his men would most likely emerge. Upon coming to the base of one of the higher mountains of the range, Kiel pointed to one of the mountain cliffs that rose on either side of the army, with slopes leading down to the ground. Upon each stood a large army of wolves, with a bigger wolf with longer neck fur and huge claws and fangs upon another cliff higher up. The wolf was black with streaks of light blue. Sara identified the laguz as Arius. With that, Ike directed the group to form defensive lines at the foot of each slope, everybody drawing their weapons and readying themselves for battle. Upon hearing their footsteps, the wolf army and Arius turned around to face them.

"Ah, the prey approaches," Arius greeted. "Or, is this just a morsel to whet our appetite for the hunt? Declare yourself, and quickly!"

Ike stood ahead of his army and raised his sword in challenge.

"General Ike of the Crimean army, your majesty," Ike replied.

"Ah, then you and your men are just who we've been waiting for," Arius commented. "Splendid, simply splendid. Kiel, Sara, my compliments on a job well done."

Ike's eyes widened and turned his attention to his two wolf allies.

"What?" he gasped.

"'A job well done?' What in blazes are you talking about?" Kiel shouted. "How did you know we left?"

"Oh, come now," Arius chuckled. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Do you _really_ want us to answer that?" Sara wondered snidely.

"You will regret that. Still, I will answer your question. My spies informed me of your plans weeks ago," Arius replied menacingly. He used his jaw to removed something from around his forelimb, and then transformed into his human form. As Ike got a better look at Arius, he saw the self-proclaimed wolf king was a rather muscular figure with black hair and black ears and tail. Worse still, that object Arius had removed from his forelimb and now held in one hand was a laguzband, a talisman which would allow him to retain his wolf form almost indefinitely during battle.

"In truth, you served me better as traitors then you did when you actually worked for me," Arius continued. "Didn't you find it odd that you never encountered any of our patrols while making your escape?"

Kiel and Sara seemed to go pale.

"How did you know that?" Sara demanded.

Ike gripped his sword with confidence and grim determination.

"He knows because he made it happen," Ike realized. "You let them go, deliberately."

"Why, indeed I did," Arius confirmed. "I also ensured that they knew about our plans to cross the mountains, so I knew where you'd be going and I arranged this little trap accordingly. And, just to make sure you didn't pass it up, I added an excellent finishing touch."

Here, Ike's face turned as hard as steel and he clenching his fists until his knuckles popped.

"The attack on Elincia," he realized. "That was all a set-up. It didn't matter to you whether she survived or not, the act itself was the bait."

"Which, I'm happy to see, you swallowed," Arius cackled. "Once I control Daein's gold and Crimea's farmlands, the others will not dare oppose me!"

"Oh no you won't!" Ike retorted. "Not while I'm around! I just so happen to be one of Crimea's top swordsmen. You'd better prepare yourself!"

"Then bring it on!" Arius replied. "Troops, attack!"

"Infantry, lock shields! Riders, get in the middle and attack any enemy that gets close! Archers, get in back and fire at will!" Ike shouted to his men. "Attack!"

The wolves charged down the cliff to attack Ike's group, which steeled themselves to meet the assault. The first charge by the wolves came to a screeching halt when they collided with a wall of shields held by the soldiers and foot knights. Just like Ike had told them, the men were using their shields to deflect the wolves' charge and making sure to attack from a distance whenever possible. Though they took a few injuries, the strategy worked and a few wolves had gone down. Still, Ike was amazed at how fast the creatures moved, and how sharp their claws and teeth appeared to be. Most of them were the same color as the blue wolf that had attacked Oscar back at the castle, but there were also white, gray, red and black wolves as well. After several charges against the infantry had failed, the wolves began leaping over the shield wall, no doubt trying to attack the infantry from behind and strike at the archers. But the cavalry was there to meet them. Lance, axe and bow knights used their respective ranged weapons to knock the wolves out of the air while those who reached the ground were chased down by sword knights. Oscar, though, now on horseback, was able to fight much better and his javelins brought down many wolves. Rolf and Shinon had drawn back to climb a tall rock formation along with other archers, from which they could fire at any wolf on the battlefield. Rhys remained on standby between the two infantry lines, as close as he dared given the combat, and ready to treat any injuries. Mist, however, had joined the cavalry in attacking the wolves leaping over the infantry, having acquired a Physic staff from the merchant caravan which she could use to heal allies from a distance. Mia and Titania were working together on a pair of wolves just at the inner edge of the cliff when suddenly Mia tripped over a rock on the ground, causing one wolf behind her to trip over her and crash into the other wolf, sending them both into the cliff wall. Titania then finished off both with her axe.

Meanwhile, Elincia, Geoffrey, Lucia, and the Crimean army were dealing with opponents of their own. Geoffrey and Lucia had joined the effort to attack the wolves leaping over the infantry, Geoffrey's brave lance and Lucia's killing edge brought down many foes. Elincia remained airborne, out of the wolves' reach and attacked only when she could strike one of them from the sides or behind before darting back into the air. Kiel and Sara were guarding Shinon, Rolf and the other archers while Boyd, Gatrie, and Soren were with Ike, supporting the two lines of hard pressed infantry. The soldiers and foot knights on the right side seemed to be holding the line but those on the left side were hard pressed. Ironically, Jerec was among them. Two wolves attacked him head-on while least three more had leapt over the line of infantry to attack him from behind. Contrary to his fight with Ike, Jerec seemed to be holding up well. He'd managed to stun one wolf with a shield bash and land a critical blow on another but the other three would surely overwhelm him. Without evening thinking twice about it, Ike raced over.

Jerec spun, twirling his lance and then thrusting it into one of the wolves. The beast staggered under the blow, but quickly regained its footing and came on. Jerec stabbed with his lance but the wolf he'd targeted bobbed under the blow and then clamped his fangs about Jerec's forearm. The wolf's fangs could not penetrate the halberdier's bracer but still held the arm in an unshakable grip and, when another wolf pounced on Jerec, he lost his balance and fell. The wolf stood atop Jerec's chest, leering at him with blood red eyes and dripping fangs, while the other still held Jerec's lance arm in its jaws. The wolf on top of Jerec drew back its paw for a killing blow...and then fell to the ground, dead. Jerec watched, bemused, as Ike tore his silver sword free of the wolf's body. The wolf who still held Jerec's forearm let go of it and lunged at Ike, but the commander took him down with one blow.

"I guess I should be thankful," Jerec opined in a faintly sarcastic tone as Ike helped him up.

Ike didn't have a chance to reply, because Arius had apparently tired of watching the battle and had joined in, leaping from his perch to land not twenty paces from Ike. Ike soon approached Arius, gripping his sword tightly.

"Arius! You're mine!" Ike shouted.

"I have to admit, your men are quite good," Arius complimented. "But they are nothing compared to my might. If you wish to die now, then so be it!"

With that, Arius donned his laguzband once more, reassuming his wolf form. Then, he sprang at Ike, moving even faster than his men. Ike immediately tried to block it with his sword, but Arius simply leapt at Ike and slashed at his arms in midflight.

"AUGHH!" Ike shouted in pain. He grunted with anger and continued to fight back, dodging every attack he could. Just as he'd back flipped to out-distance an attack, he tossed his blade. It shot upward, spinning in a blinding wheel of silver, and he leapt into the air, caught it, flipped a few times, and came down with a powerful Aether. It tore a huge wound into Arius's back, but he still had a lot of fight left in him. He charged at Ike again and this time his fangs sank deep into the general's side. Ike screamed again from the pain and angrily grabbed Arius's tail. With an unshakable grip on the king's tail, Ike pulled him from his flesh, unwittingly tearing his own wound open even wider, and threw him as hard as he could into the cliff wall. Just before Ike had let go, however, Arius had lashed out his claws, severely cutting into Ike's neck. Ike saw the tell-tale spurt of blood from his neck, knowing such a wound could be fatal if untended. Hurriedly, he dug out the elixir Elincia had given him and gulped it down, hoping it was enough.

While Ike continued to grapple with Arius, the rest of the battle seemed to grind to a halt. By now, most of the wolves were exhausted, dead, or had stopped to watch their king battle Ike while the mercenaries and Crimean troops did likewise. The already dark clouds above began to darken all the more and, as the duel continued, peals of thunder resounded in the dark foothills and bolts of dazzling lightning arced through the clouds. It began to rain, lightly at first but soon turning into a downpour. By the time everybody was soaked, Ike had taken blows all over his body. A particularly harsh slash from Arius had left a wound on the side of his head, and Ike had began to feel exhausted. He had a bad feeling though that it wasn't the fight that was tiring him, but that he was losing too much blood. That wound on his neck hadn't reopened but, if it did or if he took another one, even Rhys might not be able to save him. Suddenly, another bolt of lightning flashed overhead and struck the top of the cliff right above Ike and Arius. It struck with such ferocity that the top of the mountain split into many rock fragments, some the size of pebbles and others as big as horses, all careening towards the two combatants. The largest rock, which was a hair smaller than an ox, plunged straight for the still battling Ike and Arius along with a hail of smaller rocks. The rumbling of the small avalanche caused the two to pause and stare up at the oncoming boulders, and the quick thinking Arius suddenly shoved Ike to the ground in hopes the young general would be crushed.

Not having enough time to get out of the way, Ike could only brace himself as he was buried in the falling rocks, with the largest landing right on top of the big pile. Elincia screamed in terror, all but paralyzed with shock and disbelief. The Greil Mercenaries, including Shinon, stared with astonishment, hoping that Ike was still alive. Jerec's face was tense with anticipation, but whether this was because he wanted Ike to still be alive or that he wanted Ike to be dead, he somehow did not know. Even the remaining wolves were watching the event in shock, wondering if their fortunes had suddenly changed. Suddenly, the impossible happened. The pile of rocks began to tremble. At first, it looked as if the rocks were merely settling, but then there was a clear grinding sound, as if the rocks were scrapping against each other, and the big rock budged a little. It started to rise higher…and higher…and higher…until Ike was finally revealed, using all the strength and might remaining in his battered body to lift the boulder off of him and above his head. The strain of heaving the boulder and the barrage of smaller rocks had left him bruised and bloody, even more so than before, and the wound at his neck had reopened.

For only a moment which seemed to stretch on for hours, Ike stood there, towering about the battle and holding the boulder above his head with his incredible strength. Arius, the wolves, and Ike's army watched the general's seemingly impossible feat in utter amazement.

"I don't believe it," Arius admitted in a very hoarse, very frightened voice.

"Well, believe it," Ike replied menacingly.

Suddenly, Ike heaved the boulder right in Arius's direction. The self-proclaimed wolf king was so stunned by Ike's display that, by the time he realized he ought to be running to his life, it was too late. It bowled over and crushed him, along with most of the wolves in the large rock's path. The Greil Mercenaries and Crimean army, after a moment of watching the amazing sight in stunned silence, let out a deafening cheer and were upon the wolves again. None of them had had any idea Ike was that strong, not even Mist, but the display had reinvigorated them and taken the wind out of the wolves' sails. Elincia's mouth had dropped open in fright, the combat forgotten as she worried for her lover's life. After the rock had crashed into another part of the mountain, the surviving wolves either fled for their lives or surrendered. Ike just stood where he was, panting heavily. With the battle over, his wounds had caught up with him, particularly the ones in his head and neck. He suddenly felt tired, as if he'd just climbed one of the great mountains wearing Gatrie's armor and carrying a horse on his back. He was dizzy too, the whole mountain was spinning. Ike began to stagger backwards and forwards, not able to stand up straight. He grimaced in pain, and collapsed to the ground on his stomach.

"IKE! NO!" Elincia screamed. She spurred her Pegasus into the air and immediately flew over to Ike's aid, followed by the rest of the group. Tears began to fall down her cheeks after she'd jumped off her Pegasus, and knelt beside Ike. She managed to turn him over and cry into his chest while holding his upper body in her arms.

"Ike! Please, wake up…!" she sobbed, her crying growing louder. "You can't die! You just can't!"

"Oh dear, no!" Titania gasped.

Shinon, astonishing himself in doing so, rushed over to help and Jerec, no less bemused by his own actions, joined in as well. In moments, the whole mercenary company as well as Geoffrey, Elincia, Lucia, Sara, and Kiel were surrounding Ike. All were wanting to know if he was alive. Rhys examined Ike and began healing his wounds with his staff. However, Ike did not awaken.

"This is bad," Rhys reported grimly. "I've managed to stop the bleeding, but he's not breathing. It looks like that slash to the neck pierced an artery. It was small, but when he was lifting that boulder, his heart was pounding and it forced a tremendous amount of blood out through the wound."

"Will he live?" Titania wondered, unable to keep the fright out of her voice.

"If it was anyone else, he would've bled to death by now," Rhys answered fearfully. "I can barely feel his heartbeat at all. It...It doesn't look good."

"No…" Mia mumbled, trying hard not to cry. Elincia only continued to cry harder.

"My… My brother, he can't die!" Mist sobbed in uncontrollable fear. "If he dies, I'll be all alone…" She began to cry herself. Rhys put a hand on her shoulder.

"I wish I had better news…" Rhys replied somberly. "I can heal his wounds, but I can't scoop up the blood and put it back into him. Losing so much blood… It'll be a miracle if he lives."

"Let's move him somewhere more comfortable," Boyd suggested. "Shinon, will you help?"

"Bah…what the heck. I'll do it," Shinon agreed. "I can't deny it. What he just did was incredible."

"I agree," Oscar said. "I knew Ike was pretty strong, but wow, not _that_ strong!"

"Yeah! Commander Ike has amazing strength!" Rolf added as Boyd and Shinon picked Ike up by his arms.

Before they got very far, however, Jerec stepped in front of them.

"This isn't the—!" Boyd started, but before he could finish, Jerec tore off Ike's cape. Then, before their bemused eyes, tied two of the corners of the cape to his lance. Then, snatching Gatrie's lance, he repeated the process and held up an improvised stretcher.

"Use this," he instructed. "Try to keep it taut."

Surprised, Boyd and Shinon lowered Ike onto the makeshift stretcher. Since Ike's cape was meant to double as a blanket, it was actually longer than it looked and Ike was able to fit on it without falling off.

"Put him in that little cave down there," Rhys directed. "That's the best choice."

Shinon and Boyd nodded and carried the unconscious Ike back across the foot of the mountain. Titania proposed they all stay there for awhile until Ike could regain some of his strength again. She avoided mentioning even the possibility that Ike might not wake up, but there was no hiding the worry on her face. Geoffrey and Lucia agreed fully, but their expressions betrayed their fear that this had been Ike's last battle. Mist, Titania, and the rest of the group followed Boyd and Shinon down to the overhanging cliffs near the foot of the mountain, exhausted from the battle. Though it was still raining, Mist went around and healed some injuries while Shinon and Boyd set Ike down in a flat, dry portion of the cave. Elincia ran over to him and knelt beside the man she loved, her eyes brimming with tears once again.

"Oh, Ike…" she sobbed. "How could this happen to you…?"

"Don't worry, your majesty," Titania reassured, walking over and clapping a hand on the queen's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I hope so," Elincia replied through a sniffle. "I'll watch over him for you."

"That's a good idea. Thank you."

After Titania had walked off to join the rest of the group, Elincia, still unable to hold back the tears in her eyes, took her lover's head into her arms again and stroked Ike's unruly blue hair, which was now sodden from the rain. Not wanting to leave his side, Elincia stayed there, hoping Ike would wake soon. However, as time passed, Ike still lay there motionless. Elincia had to press her ear against his chest to even tell he still had a heartbeat. Rhys had come and gone to heal the rest of Ike's wounds, but Elincia's lover still showed no improvement. When almost half an hour had passed since Ike first collapsed, Elincia started to cry some more, fearing that he might very well be dying.

"Ike…please wake soon…" she begged. With tears still streaming down her cheeks, Elincia leaned over towards Ike and kissed him softly on his lips. However, he still showed no signs of life.

"I'll never love anyone but you, Ike…" Elincia continued. "It doesn't matter that you're a commoner. You'll always be my noble hero…"

She buried her face in his chest again. A few minutes later, she suddenly thought she heard Ike's long red cape rustle and the lances it was tied to shift and grind against the stone floor, but only thought she was imagining it. When she heard it again, she looked up. Tears of despair became tears of joy when she saw Ike slowly inching his way to a sitting position. Still weak and fatigued, he groaned and put a hand to his head. His eyes opened slowly as he tried to figure out where he was.

"Ohh…my head," Ike groaned.

Elincia's frown turned into a smile.

"Ike! You're alive!" she cried with joy. She threw her arms around Ike's neck and hugged him tightly. Ike happily returned it, but was so exhausted he could barely lift his arms enough to get them around her.

"Yeah…but my head hurts," Ike replied and grimaced again. "I can barely remember anything."

"Don't worry. All that matters is that you're okay," Elincia affirmed, her arms still around Ike's neck. She rested her head lovingly upon his chest.

"And that everyone is safe," Ike added with a smile.

"That too," Elincia agreed. "Oh Ike, I love you more than anything! I'll never love anyone but you!"

"Not even Geoffrey?"

"Very funny."

"Relax, I'm kidding. I love you too," Ike assured, still smiling. "And no one else."

With what little strength he had left, he slid his hands around Elincia's waist and pressed his lips against hers again. Despite that the rain was now coming down harder than before outside and the chilly mist was billowing into the cave, Ike's kiss made Elincia feel as if she was melting. Her arms remained wrapped around his neck. Oscar was watching them again, but this time he wasn't the only one. The rest of the mercenary company, Geoffrey, and Lucia were as well. They all clearly could tell the two were inseparable.

"You know, when I said we should spend some time together, this really isn't what I had in mind," Ike admitted.

"True, but we'll make the most of it," Elincia answered, playfully flicking his nose.

Ike was lying on a simple cot in the camp's infirmary tent while Elincia was seated next to him. It was now two days after the battle against Arius and the army was marching back to Melior. After Rhys had been rather thoroughly stupefied by Ike's surviving, he'd informed Ike that a full recovery would likely take three to five weeks and that Ike was not to engage in any overly strenuous activity until Rhys had given him permission. Ike had _not_ been pleased by this news...until Elincia had arrived to keep him company. Granted, she would not be able to stay with him long since she had to return to Melior and account for another unannounced and dangerous escapade. Still, she had promised to see if Ike could be put up in one of the castle's guest rooms or, failing that, to visit him at the fort for at least a few days once her initiative to rebuild Daein was underway again. Kiel and Sara had already parted ways with the group, saying that they'd likely need to find a new place to live after what had happened with Arius. Ike had offered to let them join the Greil Mercenaries, but the pair had politely refused and went on their way. Elincia would return to the castle along with Geoffrey, Lucia and the army while the mercenaries returned to their fort.

"It's going to lonely at the fort without you," Ike admitted. "I really wish it didn't take a war or a crisis or a lunatic who wants to take over the world for us to see each other."

"I would like that," Elincia admitted. "Maybe we can substitute my uppity advisors for the wars and lunatics?"

"There's an idea. I pop over, wave a sword at them and then we get some time alone. Might not help your relationship with the staff, but it _would_ be fun."

Elincia threw back her head, laughing uncontrollably at the image, relishing the idea of those stuffy dukes getting a taste of the aggravation she'd been dealing with since her coronation. But, even as she mulled it over, she knew Ike was being sarcastic. He might not be fond of the sort of highborn statesmen she had to work with, but he wouldn't menace defenseless men no matter how much he disliked them. Ike might have had a quick temper, but he didn't let it overpower his sense of right and wrong, and that was yet another reason why she loved him. She leaned in for a kiss when the tent's flap was pushed open. Surprisingly, it was Jerec.

"You here for a reason?" Ike inquired in a neutral tone. He still found the idea of Jerec putting together a stretcher for him hard to believe, but an uneasy truce had nonetheless occurred between the two.

Jerec, after a moment's hesitation, moved towards Ike and seated himself on the neighboring cot. Interestingly, his expression held none of the usual anger and loathing, but a look of contemplation as if he was deep in thought.

"There's something that's been on my mind for a while now," Jerec admitted. "How...how did my father die?"

"I thought you already knew the answer to that?" Ike replied, surprised.

"Maybe I don't," Jerec admitted.

And so, Ike answered. He told Jerec that Bryce had fought with skill and determination, even knowing that he would lose. Ike also told how, recognizing his technique, Bryce realized he battled with the son of his old friend Greil, who had been called Gawain back then. At the end, the two had conversed, almost like old friends, and found themselves wishing they were not on opposite sides. Jerec listened silently, but sadness had replaced his usual glares and insults. Jerec rose, as if about to leave, but then he removed an object strapped to his back and held it out to Ike.

"Think of it as a trophy," Jerec suggested.

Ike took the object and examined it. It was a heater shield, as big as his torso with a curving shape that tapered to one point at the bottom and three more at the two upper corners and the top center.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I don't use shields," Ike admitted.

"Maybe you should, that one saved my life at Nados Castle," Jerec replied.

"You were at Nados Castle?"

"Yeah. After you beat the Black Knight, my lieutenant set off the traps to cause the castle to collapse. I tried to follow the others out but I wasn't fast enough. I got buried in the rubble. I was under one of the archways which held together and that shield protected me from a lot of the debris that came at me, so I wasn't crushed. But, I did spend about three days digging my way out."

Ike could not hide his astonishment, nor could Elincia. If Jerec had, indeed, managed to dig himself out from under Nados Castle, while going three days without food or water, then he was certainly no "glorified doorman," as Soren had dubbed him. Before Ike had a chance to digest this information, Jerec continued.

"By the time I got back out, the war was over. I can't help but wonder; if I'd dug myself out sooner, and gotten to my father, could I have stopped him from...?"

"Dug yourself out sooner? You're lucky to have gotten out of there alive. Besides, if your father was still here, he'd want you to live and not dwell on might-have-beens or hunts for revenge. My father told me the same thing before...before the end."

Jerec's unsmiling face remained unchanged, but Ike could tell he was mulling it over.

"Maybe. Still, I'd like you to have the shield. My father was going to give it to your father so, technically, it's yours anyway."

Ike shrugged and examined the shield more closely. It was a handsome piece and well made. The bottom portion was colored a deep red, much like Ike's cape, while the upper portion was blue and featured three swords in a spread a fan-like pattern. The sword on the left had a golden blade while the one on the right had a white one. They were likely Ragnell and its counterpart, Alondite, which had been wielded by the Black Knight. However, the one in the middle was a sword Ike didn't recognize.

"What's this one?" he wondered, pointing.

"That's Ettard," Jerec replied, sounding surprised that Ike didn't already know that. "It was your father's personal weapon back when he was General Gawain. He...didn't tell you about it?"

Ike shook his head.

"No. Then again, my father never told me about a lot of things."

"That's odd. My father told me it was one of the finest blades he'd ever seen. It was one-of-a-kind, as far as I know, and practically unbreakable and it could carve through a boulder like it was warm butter. I know Gawain took it with him when he left Daein."

Ike could not deny that he was intrigued. Before acquiring Ragnell, and after giving it to Begnion, he'd gone through quite a lot of iron, steel and silver swords. All too often, they broke during battle at especially inconvenient times. If his father did, indeed, have Ettard with him when he left Daein, then maybe it was still at the fort. After Ike thanked Jerec and the halberdier left, saying he ought to return to Daein to help rebuild, Ike turned to face Elincia. He had a mischievous grin on his face. And, so did she.

"A scavenger hunt for an old, unbreakable sword?" Elincia spoke up, already sensing his thoughts. "That certainly sounds more fun than discussing commodity taxes with a room full of foppish dukes."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ike replied, and then kissing her again.

**Author's Note: That's it for this short story! I hope you enjoyed it and A Mercenary's Tale. Just to clarify, the character Jerec was not created by me, but by Falchion1984. He's an interesting guy, isn't he? Anyway, the next story will take place while my fanfic Dawn of Darkness is occurring. It'll be about another FE couple I adore, Kieran and Marcia! Stay tuned!**


	5. Knight in Shining Armor: Part 1

**Author's Note: This story takes place a few weeks after Elincia departs Tellius to search for Ike in Altarais in Fire Emblem: Dawn of Darkness. It's a KieranxMarcia story with much focus on Geoffrey as well. There's also some hints of RenningxLucia and later hints of GeoffreyxOC. Enjoy!**

Knight in Shining Armor

Part 1: Arising Jealousy

"Haaa! Yaaa!" a determined male voice roared, thoroughly shattering the normal tranquility in the grounds of Castle Crimea one sunny afternoon. Nestled in the heart of Melior, Crimea's capital city, the castle stood high and mighty. It's brilliantly colored marble towers seemed to brush against the sky while beautiful gardens and a magnificent courtyard surrounded the edifice. There were also training areas for the soldiers which included parade grounds for formation marching, a small arena for one-on-one combat, large fields for riding, jousting, drilling, and mock battles as well as a shooting range for archery training and elevated towers for shooting at and from elevated positions. Within one of the training grounds the source of the chaos. Unsurprisingly, it was a young man in red armor cleaving through the air with a steel axe. His reddish-brown hair reflected the sunlight shining down in his direction, and his wild swinging might have made some onlookers wondering if the glare had blinded him. As he continued his nonstop swings, the man didn't notice a second figure appear nearby from one of the doors leading into the castle. It was yet another man, but garbed in blue armor and flowing bright azure hair. He approached the first man with a rather depressed look on his face.

"Kieran," the blue haired man greeted just as the first man was getting ready to swing his axe again.

"Waaah!" Kieran exclaimed in shock, accidentally losing his grip on the axe and letting it soar across the area. It struck the leg of a wooden lookout tower standing in the near distance, the axe striking with such force that it clove straight through the wood. The structure wobbled threateningly for several breathless seconds before it crumbled to the ground with a deafening crash. The second man simply glared at a now nervous Kieran.

"Congratulations," he opined in sarcasm. "That's the third tower you've managed to bring down this week. Are you going for a record, or just a demotion?"

"General Geoffrey!" Kieran retorted. "It wouldn't keep happening if you'd quit startling me during my training!"

"Hey, it's not my fault you haven't been able to keep your grip on your axe," Geoffrey countered. "I swear, sometimes you can be more dangerous than the enemy. No matter whose fault it is though, if this keeps up, we'll eventually have no lookout towers."

"Why do we need those anyway?" Kieran wondered. "It's not like anyone's been using them. We already have lookout towers in the city, the major roads and at the border. What's the point of having them in the courtyard?"

"I told you why," Geoffrey replied testily. "His majesty ordered them for special training."

"Special training for what? We've had no action in months. Frankly, sir, I'm getting restless."

"Trust me, I've noticed. To answer your question though, I'm not entirely sure. I have my thoughts however. I believe it has something to do with the Greil Mercenaries," Geoffrey explained. "I think it's no secret we've been...too dependent upon them in the past. Besides the wars, they've been doing quite a lot of duties that we were supposed to take care of before those conflicts. And between too. Besides, without members like Sir Ike, a large portion of their strength, and ours, is lost. My guess is his majesty wants us to step up, and that he doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes made prior to the Mad King's War."

"…Yeah, when Ashnard strolled over here and beat the stuffing out of us. I really don't think strengthening our ranged attackers is going to match the might they had, Geoffrey," Kieran commented. "Rolf and Shinon are one of a kind. Or, is that two of a kind? Well, in any case, Sir Ike was one in a million."

"True," Geoffrey conceded, his gaze darkening invisibly. "Still, those are his majesty's orders."

"Sigh… The king and his wild ideas…" Kieran grunted.

"Yeah, anyway, I figured I'd find you tearing yourself up somewhere out here along with the training ground," Geoffrey replied, taking note of the usual injuries Kieran had on his leg and shoulder from his wild fighting. "Marcia is looking for you."

"Sh-She is? I'd better hurry up and heal myself! A noble knight should not present himself to a lady looking like he has a foot in the grave!" Kieran exclaimed and quickly dug around for a vulnerary in his belongings.

"Oh please…" Geoffrey replied, rolling his eyes.

However, as Kieran finally produced the little gold pouch of healing powder known as a vulnerary, the door through which Geoffrey came opened once more. Out came an armored girl with shoulder-length pink hair flowing behind her. Like Kieran's, her armor was also a shade of red. A short cape hung down her back. With her, she carried a standard steel lance which she spun and tossed into the air deftly. When she spotted Geoffrey and Kieran standing there, a smile dawned on her face and she raced over to greet them.

"Kieran! There you are, you cracker brain," Marcia blurted with a start.

"Gaah!" Kieran gasped, almost losing his grip on the vulnerary a few times. "M-Marcia! I'm-I'm no cracker brain!"

"Haha, yeah, I know," Marcia replied, hands on her hips. "I was joking. My brother is the real cracker brain."

"You can say that again," Kieran seconded as he finished healing himself. "And people need to quit startling me!"

"Or perhaps you should pay more attention," Geoffrey countered.

"Humph."

"Ah, hello there, General Geoffrey!" Marcia greeted.

"Oh, hello, Marcia," Geoffrey replied his tone distant and forlorn.

"Gee, you sure sound like the most joyful knight ever," Marcia commented in a sarcastic voice.

"Yeah, I've noticed you haven't been yourself for quite awhile," Kieran added. "What's up with you?"

"Well…"

"It's Elincia's absence, isn't it?" Kieran guessed.

"I've…had a little trouble adjusting to it, yes," Geoffrey admitted.

"I knew it. I have three words for you, Geoffrey. Get. Over. It," Kieran replied. "A lot of people were broken up about her leaving. Quite a few of them still are. But, we're carrying on as best we can."

"Kieran, come on now, this is Geoffrey you're talking to. He was in love with Elincia too, you know. Ike wasn't the only one," Marcia pointed out.

"I wasn't _in love_ with her," Geoffrey protested. "She was…like family. For a while, a _very_ brief while, I thought my feelings for her went beyond that. Or, maybe, that they'd grow after Renning arranged our marriage, but I was wrong."

"Well, whatever the case, you'll have to deal with it. Think of how happy Elincia is right now that she's with the man she truly loves instead of her being gone," Kieran advised.

"Assuming, of course, she found him," Geoffrey opined, his tone turning cynical. "She has a whole _continent_ to search. Barring any lucky breaks, she could be searching for him for years. I'd be surprised if your outlook matches the reality."

Kieran and Marcia were about to protest his grim assessment but, before they could get a word in, Geoffrey spoke again.

"I'm going to head back inside now and try to pull myself together. I'll see you later."

With that, the commander of the Crimean Royal Knights retreated into the castle. Kieran was still doubtful that Geoffrey would be getting over Elincia's absence any time soon and was more than a little displeased with his words. Yet, he hoped what he said would prove helpful one way or another. After all, as the commander of the Crimean Royal Knights, Geoffrey was as much a symbol as a leader. And, with Crimea in the midst of such a tumultuous and transitional time, seeing one of its finest generals in such a state was the last thing they needed.

"Wow, I had no idea you knew how to give advice, Kieran," Marcia teased. She chuckled as Kieran shot her a glare.

"That was so funny I forgot to laugh," Kieran retorted in annoyance. "Now anyway, what did you need this oh so devoted deputy commander for?"

"Sparring, of course!" Marcia replied with a smile.

"Again? Come on, Marcia. You know very well I always have the advantage over you," Kieran pointed out.

"Not today, you don't!" Marcia contradicted with a smile. "I'm not using my lance this time."

"…I so should have seen that coming. I forgot you learned to use swords."

"That's right. But don't worry, I'm still not as good as you. In fact, I have a little secret to tell you."

"Oh?"

A coy look overtook Marcia's features and, with a flirty smile, she crooked one finger. Kieran leaned towards her and Marcia rose on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.

"Yeah. I also think you've gotten stronger than Geoffrey."

"What? No way, impossible!"

"Yes way. You train more than he does, I can tell. And the way you fight in a real battle… Somehow I find it more impressive. Not to mention Geoffrey uses lances too, so you have the advantage over him anyway."

"Ah, I see. Oh, how your words do flatter me! How can I say no after what I just heard? If sparring is what you want from me, then sparring you get!"

"Huzzah! I can't wait to show you how much tougher I'll be this time!"

"Huzzah indeed!" Kieran agreed, a smile forming on his face. "…Ah! Excuse me for one moment, will you?"

With that, Kieran dashed to the remains of the tower to collect his axe. Much like Kieran himself, the axe held up astonishingly well under abuse. It certainly came away better than the tower. Once he approached Marcia for a second time, they hefted their weapons and faced one another with eagerness. Within seconds, the sounds of an axe clashing with a sword sounded forth throughout the area. Despite Kieran's disadvantage, he still did his best to provide a good challenge. Normally, he detested the idea of sparring with anyone and much preferred to train alone, but Marcia practically begged him to do so with her not so long before and, between that and her flattery, Kieran somehow could not resist. Plus, he found sparring with her was quite fun and did improve his skills quite a bit.

"By the way…" Marcia spoke up sometime later after yet another riposting one of Kieran's blows. "There's something else I'd like you to know."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Kieran wondered.

"My brother and Elincia weren't my only reasons for joining the Crimean Royal Knights. I also joined…to be closer to you."

"M-M-Me?"

"Hee hee, yep! I found you to be…an interesting guy, to say the least."

"Oh wow, I must admit, I don't know what to say. Will…a big thanks do?"

"Of course!"

"Well then, big thanks! And let's not stop here! You ready for more?"

"Heh, I never expected to hear that from you. Of course I'm ready!"

"Great! And truth be told, I've actually enjoyed myself in these spars! Here I come!"

Marcia could only giggle once more as their blades clashed again.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey more lurched than strode into his chambers, the door slamming shut in his wake with a resounding boom. With the curtains drawn and most of the candles burnt low, the room was as dark and dismal as his mood. He made for the curtains, if only so he could see better, but stopped in midstride and simply collapsed onto a sofa in his sitting room. There was a bottle on the low table before him of a strong ale, the sort one would find served in some of the seedier taverns of Melior and which could put most men under the table. Under the bed, Geoffrey could catch a glimpse of a box where he'd hidden several identical empty bottles over the past several days. During early morning hours and then again in the evening, he'd sneak out of the castle and buy more of the same ale at one of the taverns, drink some of it up, and hide the empty bottles in hopes that no one would discover this habit. If anyone, especially Renning, were to find out, Geoffrey would likely be stripped of his title and knighthood since it was against the Code of Conduct for anyone in the royal army to drink that often. The bottle on the table had been left over from earlier in the day.

Without even a hint of knightly etiquette, Geoffrey upended the powerful alcoholic beverage and guzzled it down until it was gone.

Almost at once, the edges of his vision seemed to blur and he swayed in his seat. His mood, however, remained unaltered. Ever since Elincia had left the country, a disheartening pall had fallen over the country and, given his sham marriage to Elincia, Geoffrey had been harmed the most grievously. It was true that he hadn't loved Elincia as a beau, much less a wife, but she had been a constant and important figure in his life. She had been, as he'd stated earlier, like family. His memories of her seemed beyond count; he and Lucia had known her practically since she was in diapers. Her departure had cut him, and many others, deeply.

At first, after the two of them had signed the annulment to their sham marriage and she had finalized the terms of her abdication and written her letter to her uncle, Geoffrey had held off on disseminating the news. Part of this was for propriety's sake; he had intended to go to Renning at once but, when he arrived at the Duke's door, he heard Lucia's voice. She was speaking of the late King Ramon, Elincia's father, as well as the late queen which meant she and Renning were probably commiserating over their deaths.

Despite knowing the two had to know of Elincia's departure eventually, Geoffrey could not help a melancholy smile and, in truth, was a smile in name only. Geoffrey had known that Renning and his older sister had gradually been getting interested in one other, ever since Lucia decided she was no longer as interested in Bastian, the Count of Fayre, as she used to be. Of course, this upset Bastian, but he still remained as poetic about it as ever. Elincia had known about the developing relationship as well and, since Renning had practically raised Elincia, she'd taken to jokingly calling Lucia 'mother.' Still, Geoffrey decided not to barge with such saddening news. So, he dropped the three papers in his desk drawer and left them there.

He had told Elincia that, if she and Ike returned, they would be welcome and, whether out of wishful thinking or simple denial, Geoffrey decided to allow the time for that to happen.

The deception grew when, to explain her absence, he circulated a story that the two of them were taking their overdue honeymoon.

_Am I a masochist or just an idiot?_

Geoffrey had no idea what madness had possessed him to make him think of such a twisted cover story, but it was no less than the madness that made him think Elincia would be back so quickly. Geoffrey was no sailor - he would never admit to it aloud, but he'd been terrified of the ocean ever since a recurring childhood nightmare involving sharks - but he knew the sea to be vast. Just reaching Altarais could take weeks. And, since Elincia had so little information to go on as to Ike's whereabouts, finding him could take _years_.

Thus, it was with a heavy heart that Geoffrey had to face reality.

Elincia would not be returning any time soon.

She might not be returning, period.

He tried not to let his mind wander over what might've befallen Elincia on Altarais - with the exception of, he hoped, a happy reunion with Ike - and he resolved to deliver the papers to Renning at last. Elincia had left two official documents, one annuling her marriage to Geoffrey and another to abidicate the throne and name Renning her successor, as well as a letter to Renning explaining her actions. Geoffrey did not relish the idea of making this delivery but, loathed though he was to admit that Elincia was never coming back, he knew that Crimea needed a ruler.

He knew also that, as he knocked on Renning's door with the papers in hand, that, when he delivered these, Crimea would not be the same again.

Again, he tried not to let his imagination run wild over the possible implications. As he'd stated earlier, Elincia might very well spend years searching for Ike. There was no guarantee she'd find him alive or, for that matter, that she'd find him at all. And, aside from the vaguest of clues, Geoffrey had no idea what the continent of Altarais was like. Elincia might've run afoul of hostile locals and had her head hewn from her neck as soon as she landed. He shook that thought off, though he still shuddered at the idea.

When he finally did present the news to Renning, and it had inevitably spread, it had been quite a blow. Renning, who practically thought of Elincia as his own daughter, had grimly taken the throne and worked to ensure a disheartened populace that Crimea would endure despite this sad occurrence. Gradually, most were convinced.

Geoffrey, however, was a lingering exception.

Perhaps Kieran was right and all Geoffrey really needed to do was remember that Elincia was happy with Ike. He forced himself not to even consider the question of if she'd actually found him but, in a vain effort to make himself feel better, he assumed it from the outset. He did say she'd need a lucky break to find Ike on an unknown continent, and maybe she got one. And, whether he'd seen her as a adopted sister or his Queen or simply a friend, didn't the general always want Elincia to be as happy as possible, even if it meant leaving Crimea or Tellius all together?

"Elincia…" Geoffrey mumbled to himself. "It's so hard not having you around anymore…"

Perhaps he _was_ losing his perspective. But, it was rather hard not to given the circumstances. After learning that Elincia had left him for another man, Geoffrey had become an object of pity. Expressions of sympathy had replaced expressions of respect everywhere he looked. The only exceptions where Renning and Lucia but this only added insult to injury. Not only was seeing Renning and Lucia's relationship a cruel reminder of how his marriage should have gone, and didn't, but that whole disaster had been Renning's idea in the first place.

Disgust with, well, everything curdling in his gut, he tossed his empty bottle into the box under the bed, opened a small oaken cabinet, and found another bottle of ale he had been saving. As he quaffed it down as quickly as he had the first, he strode to the bathroom to fetch the herb scented water he used to conceal the smell of alcohol on his breath. As he entered, he passed in front of the mirror and, at the sight of his reflection, he froze.

He beheld a stranger.

Where was the mighty paladin of Melior? The man who people had respected and admired? Where was the crown's most implacable defender? Where was the man who this sorry excuse for a drunkard was _supposed_ to be?

With a snarl, Geoffrey drove his fist into the mirror and then shattered the empty bottle against the floor. He then stalked out of the room.

"General Geoffrey!" a familiar voice exclaimed behind him moments later.

Geoffrey was broken from his trance and turned around to find Oscar, another Crimean Royal Knight, standing at the far end of the hallway.

"Oh, hey there, Oscar," Geoffrey greeted, his mood no better. "What can I do for you?"

"What the heck was all that noise I just heard in your room? Is everything alright?" Oscar inquired, arching one eyebrow as he approached his superior officer.

"Oh, uh… I sorta broke a mirror out of anger."

"Ah, still down about Elincia's decision, eh?"

Geoffrey sighed once more before replying, and he hoped Oscar didn't notice the scent of the alcohol.

"Yeah. I guess it isn't hard to figure that out, huh?"

"Not at all. We all know you too well. But anyway, I'm sure she'll come back someday. Maybe Ike will be with her too."

"Hm, perhaps. I suppose I'm just tired of, well, this whole business. Aside from his majesty and my sister, nobody has looked at me the same way since she left. All I see is...pity. And, I think we both know that few things insult a knight like being pitied."

"Commander Greil's 'pity' prevented me and my brothers from starving when our father died."

"Forgive me, I spoke without thinking. I suppose I also miss Elincia. She was like the little sister I never had and she always looked up to me for support whenever times were hard. And if she got upset, I was there to ease the pain. If I was around, that is. Otherwise, Ike probably filled that role, but still."

"I understand. I fully believe you too. But Elincia's grown up now and capable of making her own choices and living her own life. Don't get me wrong, she would never stop caring for you, but I don't think she'd want someone standing over her all her life either, if you know what I mean."

"Hmm…"

"But don't worry, what you're going through is completely natural. I rather feel the same way sometimes knowing my brothers are far away from me too. Even Boyd's admitted that he'll be kinda sad when Rolf is old enough go wherever he wants and get married and all. And so will I."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I also imagine it's hard for Lucia to get over this as well. She and Elincia were very close."

"Exactly. It'll pass; not overnight, but time will heal. Anyway, I take it Kieran's training again?"

"Yeah. Marcia's with him."

"Figures. Those two are growing rather close lately, aren't they?"

"Seems so. Which reminds me, what's with Tanith's visits growing more frequent lately?"

"…Oh, well…um, I'm...still teaching her to cook, remember? She, er…likes my lessons so much, she wanted to come back more often."

"Uh huh."

"Oh hey, I just got an idea. Maybe you should get in some training too. You have been doing it less often lately, I notice. It could help take your mind off things. I'll even spar with you, if you want."

"That _does_ sound appealing. Thank you."

"You're welcome. …Oh! Darn it, I forgot why I went looking for you in the first place. His majesty wants to see us. Kieran too. Our sparring will have to wait until after."

"I see. I'll go get him then."

With that, Geoffrey turned around and headed for the training grounds once more. Along the way, he endeavored to follow both Oscar's and Kieran's advice as best as he could. It was true that Geoffrey wanted Elincia to be happy, regardless of the circumstances. And, though he had no true information about where she was, whether she'd found Ike or how she was doing, he tried to simply think of how happy she was being with Ike, wherever they were.

And, in some corner of his mind, Geoffrey suspected that Elincia was better off having left. Despite being born to it, Elincia had never felt suited to be a queen nor that she wanted to be one. She'd said as much herself to Leanne during the Goddess War, on her knees and in near hysterics, no less. And, though she'd been relieved that Lucia had been rescued by Ike, and his appearance had certainly thrilled her, these had given way to very different feelings later on.

Ludveck and his co-conspirators had often branded Elincia as a failure as a ruler and, Eincia believed, they were right.

Faced with the prospect of letting Ludveck go free or seeing Lucia executed right in front of her eyes, Elincia had frozen with fearful indecision.

Though Ike's intervention had been fortuitous, if not miraculous, Elincia had felt utterly humiliated that she'd had to be rescued from a crisis that she herself had been powerless to resolve herself. A crisis which, unlike Ashnard's invasion, could be readily attributed to her shortcomings as a queen.

Geoffrey did not agree, nor, he suspected, did Ike, but it certainly explained why Elincia had used what political leverage she'd had left to ensure Renning was her successor. Renning, unlike Elincia, had been groomed as a statesman and did not share Elincia's reluctance to use force when all other options failed.

If there was another Ludveck, that poor fool would mend his ways...or mend his head.

If Geoffrey was uncertain about Elincia's present state, he was at a total loss as to whether she would return to Crimea. He hoped so, if only to know that she was alright. Perhaps, as Oscar suggested, it was only a passing sadness, like how a parent feels when all the children have moved move out of the house.

Geoffrey soon returned to find Kieran and Marcia once again in the royal training grounds. Marcia had just stumbled over and fallen to the ground as Kieran side-stepped one of her attacks.

"Dang! Kieran, you've gotten even better than I expected!" she commented as stood up.

"Ah, well, you know me! I never stop training! Not in a million years! A Crimean Royal Knight lives by his blade and never gives up!" Kieran proudly proclaimed.

"Sounds like you alright," Geoffrey's voice spoke up as he approached the pair.

"Oh, what kept you, General?" Marcia inquired. "Is my no good sponge-brain of a brother causing trouble again?"

_Was I really gone that long? Time flies when you're wallowing in drunken self-pity, I guess_, Geoffrey thought to himself.

"Come on, doesn't he ever learn?" Kieran retorted, folding his arms.

"No, no, it's nothing to do with him," Geoffrey replied. "Don't worry. Though truth be told, I haven't seen much of Makalov lately. But anyway, Kieran, Oscar says his majesty wants to see the three of us right away. Why, I'm not sure, but orders are orders."

"Ah, I see. I guess our spar will have to end in a draw, Marcia," Kieran replied, sheathing his axe on his back.

"Oh, pshaw! That's no problem! I'll just wait right here until you get back and we can pick up where we left off," Marcia assured with a smile.

"Really? Huzzah! I'd better get going then!"

With that, Kieran and Geoffrey reentered the castle and headed for the throne room where King Renning awaited them. Truth be told, Geoffrey did not relish seeing the king. Geoffrey had been Renning's favored protégée and the two of them had been close friends for a long time, but the failed sham marriage had been Renning's idea and that had driven a wedge between the two men. Still, whatever the king wanted, Geoffrey hoped it would at least help take his mind off of his troubles, if not ease the pain. He also couldn't help but notice the rather ecstatic grin on Kieran's face.

"So, you and Marcia seem to be growing pretty close to one another, huh?" Geoffrey spoke up, trying with little success to sound cheerful, as he and Kieran traversed the hallway leading from the training grounds.

"Uh, well… I have to admit, I had no idea sparring with someone could be so much fun," Kieran admitted. "Especially her for some reason…"

"Because you know she really likes you."

For the first time in days, a genuine smile appeared on Geoffrey's face. Kieran's cheeks soon flushed in a deep red.

"N-Now wait, that's crazy talk!" he protested. "Sure we're good friends and all, but…"

"Heh, we'll see."

Though his own jibe managed to make him smile for a short time, it wasn't enough to truly cheer Geoffrey up. His grief returned to him mere minutes later as the two knights headed to the second floor. By the time both knights reached the throne room, Oscar was already there waiting for them. Renning himself was seated in one of the two large ornate chairs in the near back of the chamber. Unfortunately, being in this room alone only caused Geoffrey to sigh in grief as memories returned once more. He couldn't help but think of the short time he would see Elincia seated in one of those chairs instead. Kieran could sense it and wanted to snap his superior officer out of his trance, but knew it'd only interrupt Renning as he began to speak.

"I'm pleased to see the three of you made it here so quickly," the king began. "We've been receiving reports that ever since the Greil Mercenaries broke up, bandit activity has been steadily increasing."

" Oh dear…" Oscar replied with a frown. "Is it serious, your majesty?"

"Not yet. However, I fear that if we don't act on the situation soon, it will."

"I see. You would like us to address the problem?" Oscar inquired.

"Yes. I would like the three of you to let the citizenry know that we are working to come up with a solution. Obviously, the remaining Greil Mercenaries as well as other local mercenaries are still acting to eliminate bandits, but lately, there's been more work than they can handle at a time and it's causing many citizens to… Er, Geoffrey? Are you listening to any of this?"

Geoffrey instantly perked his head up, his thoughts having wandered for some time.

"Huh? Oh, I apologize, your majesty. My thoughts were…elsewhere," Geoffrey somberly admitted.

"I see," Renning commented, tactfully avoiding further inquiry. "As I was saying, local mercenaries are still fighting off bandits, but it's proven too much for them to handle and citizens are growing fearful of their families and property. I would've preferred more time to rebuild our army and knights after so many of them were lost in the wars, but it seems we have no choice but to make do with what we have now."

"Understood, I'll do my best," Geoffrey replied.

"Good. I have assembled companies of what veteran knights we have as well as the more promising cadets and squires. Your orders are to lead patrols-in-force, especially in the areas hit hardest by the bandits. Now, Geoffrey and Kieran, you two are to take one group of these companies out west. Oscar, you'll be in charge of another group heading east. We'll work faster and cover more ground this way. You'll be provided with maps charting where you are most likely to be needed, as well as a roster of who is available to accompany you. And naturally, if you run into any bandits, you know what to do."

"Understood," Geoffrey obeyed as Renning began handing out scrolls.

"Indeed, we shall not let you down, your majesty!" Kieran seconded happily.

"I'll do everything in my power to succeed," Oscar added with a calm smile.

"Thank you all. You are dismissed," Renning replied with a nod.

With that, the three knights departed the throne room. They began looking over the rosters and began contemplating on who would be a part of whose group. This was harder than they'd expected since at least half of those on the list were squires and cadets, none of whom any of the three knights had met. Familiar names were few, but a welcome sight nonetheless. Naturally, Geoffrey had the final decision, but, as both Kieran and Oscar expected, he wasn't in much of a mood to order anyone around at the moment. Nonetheless, he managed to come up with a plan anyway, despite his still-depressed mood.

"Alright, Kieran, we'll take Marcia with us," Geoffrey decided. "Oscar, Makalov and Astrid are with you. That is, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. As long as Astrid's around, I don't think Makalov will be much of a problem," Oscar assured with a smile. "Besides, I seem to be able to put up with him better than either of you two. No offense."

"None taken. In fact, I completely agree."

"Ditto," Kieran added. "Are we really _that_ short on seasoned knights?"

"Well, those squires and cadets will be seasoned if we do our jobs right," Geoffrey replied. "Now let's move out."

The three knights did not hesitate to begin their mission as they went to gather their party members. Geoffrey and Kieran went back to the training grounds to get Marcia first. After the two explained their mission to her, she willfully agreed to help out, though whether it was more to spend even more time with Kieran or to avoid running into Makalov, they weren't sure. Regardless, the group then sought out several more Royal Knights to add to their party, as well as the cadets and squires Renning had chosen. For a little while, Geoffrey had actually managed to forget about his troubles, but they soon came rushing back to him once he remembered why the group was embarking on this mission in the first place.

The Greil Mercenaries had lost several key members after the war against Ashera ended. Ike was the most famous and valuable of those noble warriors and suddenly departed Tellius for reasons unknown to many people. In fact, Geoffrey and a few of the remaining members might very well have been the only people to know the hero's hidden motives. The rumor that began going around was that Ike had grown restless and sought new adventures among the newly discovered continent of Altarais, which was a half truth at best. Geoffrey knew the true reason: the general's marriage to Elincia. Geoffrey himself had been one of the few people to know that a romance had blossomed between the queen and the noble mercenary and unfortunate events had nearly destroyed it. It had been a mutual, but difficult, decision for Geoffrey and Elincia to annul the marriage and seek out Ike. Her fate remained, for the most part, a mystery.

However, other members of the Greil Mercenaries, such as Oscar, a bishop named Rhys, Ike's close friend Soren, and a traveling swordmaster named Mia, had also left the group. This was likely due to Ike's departure since he was their commander. Without its legendary leader and with its ranks so diminished, the Greil Mercenaries were not as strong as they used to be. And, the bandits were quick to capitalize on this advantage. The mercenaries had just as much trouble replenishing their ranks as the undermanned Royal Knights did, leaving both becoming more and more outnumbered by the bandits. Unfortunately, entering the nearest village to Melior's location did little to improve Geoffrey's mood.

"Wow, there's more commotion going on than I thought," Kieran commented as the group eyed the many townsfolk talking amongst themselves in somber, disgruntled tones.

"Yeah, you'd think they're about to start running around like chickens, they seem so panicked," Marcia added.

Geoffrey didn't respond. He froze when he overheard several words here and there from the ongoing conversations.

"Ugh, if only Sir Ike were still around! He'd send all these bandits running home screaming! No one fights a battle the way he does!" a woman bemoaned.

"Ohhh, I completely agree! He puts on such a great show and he's so handsome on top of that!" a younger girl replied, more with melancholy longing than cheerfulness.

"Crimea has lost two of its finest; first Sir Ike and then Queen Elincia, one right after the other. I see no relief in sight," a man agreed.

Moments later, Geoffrey's right eye began to twitch, as there was no mention of either him or the Royal Knights who were running themselves ragged trying to fill the vacuum that Ike had irresponsibly created with his departure. It wasn't lost on Geoffrey that his sentiments toward Ike had shifted, and harshly so, but at the moment he simply didn't care. Kieran soon took note of Geoffrey's expression and turned his attention to the stricken general.

"Er, General Geoffrey? You alright?" he inquired, raising one eyebrow.

"…Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little surprised at these people," Geoffrey assured. "It's nothing, really."

"Well, if you say so."

Geoffrey simply couldn't reveal his true emotions. Not right now. Besides, he only overheard a very small number of people. _Just keep your composure… It was only a few people. Nothing to get excited about_, Geoffrey thought to himself.

"Oh! Some of the Royal Knights have arrived!" a woman shouted, nearly jumping with joy. "Please tell me you all are going to do something about this crisis!"

"Huh? Oh, right. We are, don't worry. We were ordered by the king to let you all know that we're going to be addressing this problem right away," Geoffrey informed. "We will be patrolling several areas where banditry is on the rise, including this one and we promise to do everything in our power to stop these bandits and make them regret their actions."

"Oh, excellent! Ah, how I miss Sir Ike, though…"

At that, Geoffrey had to grind his teeth to remain silent. Kieran and Marcia reiterated the general's claim before relaying it to the rest of the villagers nearby. Hopefully, word about it would soon spread. Perhaps the bandits would lay low for a while or, still overconfident since Ike's departure, would come looking for a fight. That suited the Knights just fine. The group was off to a good start and could only hope Oscar and his party were doing as just as well in the east.

"Well, that ought to do it for here," Geoffrey finally spoke up moments later.

"Are you sure, General?" Marcia inquired. "You seem in a bit of a hurry. We wouldn't want to rush and end up making a dumb mistake now, do we?"

"Trust me, I think we're finished here."

With that, the trio led their group out of town and to the next destination. Geoffrey couldn't deny what Marcia said. He really had been in a hurry to leave and was quite relieved when they had done so. Continuing to hear more of their talk about the past was the last thing Geoffrey needed at the moment and he knew it. He especially did not want to hear the name Ike anytime soon. In fact, he didn't even want to see him again. It was, he knew, a sentiment best kept to himself. However, he still could not help but have a smoldering anger towards the absent mercenary commander.

Not long after they rode away from the town outskirts, Kieran noticed the tense expression on Geoffrey's face.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he inquired again.

"Sigh… Yes, I'm positive. Now stop worrying, Kieran, we have work to do," Geoffrey replied, although a bit harshly.

"Well, I think what those people were saying back there is getting to you. And I say don't listen to them. Yes, we can't deny that Ike is the most famous and respected person in the whole continent and that his mercenaries were powerful, but we know we can be every bit as strong and reliable, right?" Marcia put in. "Not just because we have to be either."

"Besides, King Renning wants us to step up now that Ike's gone," Kieran added. "He wouldn't have chose us to do this if he didn't think we were good enough."

"…Yes. You're absolutely right ," Geoffrey agreed. "Maybe I am letting it bother me too much."

"Yeah, focus on what's important now, will you?" Kieran seconded.

Geoffrey merely nodded. With Kieran and Marcia's words again in his head, he was able to ease his mind. He'd nearly forgotten his previous thoughts when a group of bandits appeared on the road several minutes later. Many of them carried blood-stained axes, which only indicated the worst. Geoffrey gritted his teeth in anger while Kieran merely grunted.

"Hehe, looks like Crimea's gotten even punier than I thought if they have to send the Royal Knights after us!" the bandit in front cackled. "Without Ike, yer nothin'!"

Geoffrey's eye twitched once again as his anger gradually built up from a smolder to a raging flame. Within the next few moments, he charged without warning, nor commanding his men and ran the bandit through with his lance. Kieran, Marcia, and the other knights followed and engaged the other bandits to keep them from taking advantage of Geoffrey's reckless attack. Despite the Royal Knights being uncoordinated with Geoffrey having gone berserk and their advantage of experience negated by the squires, they managed to prevail over the bandits.

"Geoffrey, seriously, stop listening to this nonsense people are spitting out before you end up in big trouble!" Kieran lectured.

"I'm trying… Honestly, I'm sorry. I can't help but think that people just don't believe in us the way they should," Geoffrey replied. "They don't believe we can be just as strong without Ike leading us around like dogs on a leash. They don't think I can ever be as good a general!"

"Oh come on, that's a load of cow poop!" Marcia retorted. "And Ike didn't lead us like dogs! You're just getting jealous of him."

"Oh, so you think he will always be superior too?"

"That's not what I said. Listen, we'll have to talk about this later. His majesty would not be pleased if we failed this mission all because of a silly argument."

"True. I will try to restrain myself…"

With that, the group continued to their next destination. Unfortunately, every town they came to turned out to be little different from the first. The people there were happy enough that the Royal Knights were seeking out the bandits but their chatter quickly began to wear on Geoffrey's patience. There was talk about bandits cropping up, in places they'd never been seen before and in numbers once considered unthinkable. There was, much to Geoffrey's chagrin, talk about Ike and how he'd be able to send bandits running for the hills before one could say 'we like Ike.' There was speculation about his fate, as well as Elincia's, and lamentations for their departures. There was even talk about how Ike and Elincia made an excellent couple and their separate departures might have been an attempt to disguise an elopement. Geoffrey found it harder and harder to restrain himself from yelling or ripping people's heads off. Inwardly, he was growing more and more indignant that Ike was on everyone's mind while he and the Royal Knights, the ones actually _doing_ something about the problem, were being practically ignored in comparison. Still, he managed to keep his anger in check…for a time. The group had just begun to circle back towards Melior and was approaching their final destination before heading home. As before, they inevitably encountered people talking about the bandits, Ike, and the Greil Mercenaries' former glory.

"Oh, I'm sure Sir Ike will return someday! He should know all too well that he's loved and respected for all he's done for us!" a woman opined.

"Personally, I wish he was a little more ambitious and foresighted," a man replied. "Ludveck's rebellion and the Laguz and Begnion brawling here might've gone better if he'd remained a general after the Mad King's War. Heck, teach him to ride a warhorse and he could replace General Geoffrey straight off."

Geoffrey jerked his mount to a halt and followed the sound of the voices to see yet another small group, though this one hadn't taken note of him yet. He was tempted to make his presence known, quite possibly, with this fist, but he somehow managed to hold himself in check.

"I agree," a second man with a crippled hand, one who Geoffrey recognized, seconded. "I served with both General Geoffrey and Ike before, well, before some guy's hammer turned my hand into pulp. Geoffrey is an outstanding soldier but he just doesn't have Ike's vim. Just about everybody who served with Ike would follow him through hell...and, in a manner of speaking, they did. You only see a leader like that once in a lifetime. If even."

"You got that right. Maybe that's why Queen Elincia went after him. I would have, in her place. Besides, they say she felt disgraced from how badly the Goddess War went for us and didn't trust herself enough to try to put things to rights."

"Indeed. If they came back, I'd take both of them in a heartbeat."

Kieran and Marcia, who had also overheard the conversation, immediately turned to Geoffrey, panic overtaking their features as they saw feral rage dawn on Geoffrey's once stony countenance.

"Oh boy…" Marcia uttered upon seeing Geoffrey's eye twitch once again, and faster than before, while his lips peeled away from clenched teeth.

"They do have a bit of a point though…" Kieran replied.

"Kieran!" Marcia shouted, glaring at him.

Her warning had come too late; Geoffrey had heard, and his expression had gone from enraged to homicidal.

"Wait! I didn't mean—!" Kieran began, but was cut off.

"ARGH! I CAN'T STAND THIS ANYMORE!" Geoffrey suddenly exploded.

He hefted a javelin and, to Kieran and Marcia's horror, hurled it into the small crowd. Geoffrey then bolted off, without even waiting to see if his throw had hit its mark, leaving Kieran and Marcia to shout for the people to duck. Their warning came just in time, the javelin passed to close to the tallest ones face, that it gave a bad haircut. The two knights then spent some minutes calming down the people milling in the streets and amazingly, none of them had seen where the javelin had come from, but by the time they'd done so, Geoffrey was long gone. Seeing this, Marcia angrily confronted Kieran.

"Kieran, you dimwit! Now look what's happened!"

"But I didn't mean—Look, I'm sorry," Kieran replied. "All I meant to say was that I agreed Ike would make us a lot stronger if he were our leader. I never said I didn't think Geoffrey could do the same! And, I never would have expected him to do something like this."

"Yeah well, he did it anyway! Now come on, we've gotta find him before he does something worse!"

"Sigh… Right you are."

Geoffrey, meanwhile, had already left the town far behind. Where he was going, he had no idea. All he did know was that he had been betrayed, not only by the Crimean people but even by his own Knights.

And, he knew the cause.

_Ike, if you were in the country right now, I'd have your throat for this. Well, I'll just have to make do._

Geoffrey might not be able to strike at Ike directly, but he knew plenty of other ways to retaliate against the interloping mercenary that had cost him everything.


	6. Knight in Shining Armor: Part 2

**Author's Note: EmblemQueen: My friend and partner, Falchion1984, who has helped me quite a bit with this chapter in particular, would now like to say a few words - okay, more than a few - regarding Geoffrey's change in personality. I hope this will put that in perspective for the reader.**

**Falchion1984: Hello. It has come to my attention that Geoffrey's downward spiral in this story has met with a degree of displeasure. I hope that, by this explanation, I can resolve this matter. In reading the draft provided me by EmblemQueen, I noticed a similarity between Geoffrey's behavior and a condition called PTED, or Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder. This condition is similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. The difference is that people with PTSD experience intense, if not overwhelming fear and/or anxiety following a life-threatening event whereas people with PTED become bitter, disillusioned and lose faith in their core values following a triggering event, often called a stressor. I first learned of PTED reading a military sci-fi novel called Star Carrier: Earth Strike in which a Starhawk pilot, Trevoer Gray, suffers from PTED following the tragic - and, in Gray's opinion, highly suspect - events that broke up his marriage. Reading EmblemQueen's draft, I noticed that Geoffrey had suffered a variety of events that could serve as a stressor. His marriage with Elincia failing, Elincia leaving to find Ike, his resentment over becoming an object of pity and, perhaps, a sense of betrayal since Renning, who'd been a friend, had orchestrated the aforementioned failed marriage...well, pick a stressor, any stressor. Other symptoms I noticed in the reading, and communicated to my partner, include depression (which would explain Geoffrey's, well, depression as well as his drinking), intrusive thoughts about the triggering event, or events in this case, a desire to avoid placed that remind them of the triggering event (such as Geoffrey's discomfiture about entering the throne room), a sense of being wronged or slighted or humiliated (such Geoffrey becoming an object of pity and his sense that the Royal Knights are being snubbed) and a desire for revenge (such as Geoffrey seeing Ike as the source of his problems and wanting revenge). PTED is particularly insidious in that, not only can it twist otherwise healthy and hardworking people, but people suffering from it rarely believe there's anything wrong with them and are highly resistant to treatment. This would explain Geoffrey's resistance towards others asking after his well-being and, later on, his turbulent recovery. Bear in mind as well that depression and post-traumatic disorders can radically alter personalities, thus explaining Geoffrey seeming out of character, and that this is not the first time a character has appeared OOC for such a reason (I discovered another fic in which Ike suffers from PTSD). It is my hope that this analysis, and our protrayal of Geoffrey's recovery, helps to put his actions in perspective and that this will assuage the displeasure some readers feel towards our approach. Thank you for putting up with my long-winded talk - trust me, not everyone does - and please enjoy the story.**

Part 2: The Chase Begins

"Marcia, wait! What about the rest of the mission?" Kieran inquired as Marcia was about to take off after Geoffrey.

"The others can handle it! Besides, things will only get worse if we let Geoffrey run around like a lunatic out there!" Marcia retorted. "Now come on!"

"Alright, I'll order the men to continue with the mission as planned…"

With much reluctance, Kieran informed the rest of the group that they were to continue the mission alone. He could sense more than a bit of puzzlement from the others since he couldn't exactly explain where he and Marcia were going, nor Geoffrey's absence. Though the group accepted his instructions, this did little to reassure Kieran. Nearly everyone in that group was a cadet or a squire, most of which had never fought a battle outside of a training yard before, and the prospect of them holding their own in a fight by themselves was grim. Still, Kieran liked the idea of his superior officer roaming about like a dangerous lunatic even less.

It was plainly obvious what had angered Geoffrey so since he still resented Ike as the source of all the perceived slights Geoffrey had suffered, but what was less clear was what Geoffrey intended to do about it. Ike had left Crimea months ago for Altarais, and Geoffrey himself had said that finding Ike there would be all but impossible. And, despite Geoffrey seeming to have snapped, Kieran doubted the general would try to pursue Ike. So, what would Geoffrey do instead?

That train of thought led in an even grimmer direction. Perhaps Geoffrey would try to lure Ike back to Tellius, so he could confront him directly? That would be easy enough to do if Geoffrey could get a hold of Ike's sister, Mist, or someone else Ike was close to who he could use as bait. The news would take some time to reach Ike, but would inevitably do so since people and gossip were travelling back and forth between the two continents, and news like that would bring Ike running. But, would whoever Geoffrey abducted live long enough to see it?

Kieran tried vainly to shake of that thought, but he could not. It was unthinkable that a Royal Knight would murder an unarmed prisoner. But then again, it was every bit as unthinkable as throwing a javelin into a crowd of citizens…and Geoffrey had done that anyway.

Kieran shook his head as he attempted to rid himself of these thoughts, knowing that these events would only bring more trouble at the single worst moment. Geoffrey would be completely insane to attempt such stunts which, Kieran grimly realized, may very well be the case, and if Elincia and Lucia were to find out, they'd be more than devastated. What's more, Geoffrey had been a long time friend to Kieran and the two had gradually grown close. The knight simply could not let his superior officer and friend careen towards his own destruction like this.

"How about you search from the sky?" Kieran suggested once the pair had exited town. "That'd make finding him easier."

"Psh, if I did that, you might as well not search at all. I'd spot him faster from up there before you would even start looking. And this is your mess, Kieran."

"Hey! It's not completely my fault!"

"Well, you added insult to injury! Now come on, use your head! We need to figure out where Geoffrey would go. We know he's blown his stack over Ike, but has no way of finding him. So, that leaves what?"

"Right, let's see…"

For a few moments, the pair contemplated the matter, but it didn't take long for them to exchange wide-eyed glances as realization dawned upon them both.

"The statue in Melior's main square!" they blurted at the same time.

With that, the pair immediately rode off as fast as their mounts could carry them. Fairly recently, a large group of sculptors had finished constructing a statue of Ike to display in the main square of Melior. The statue was an incredible work of marble, more than twenty feet tall, and depicted Ike in the uniform he'd worn as General of the Crimean Liberation Army. He was mounted upon a carved warhorse, which the sculptors had taken a creative license on that account, holding the legendary golden blade, Ragnell, high above his head in one hand while the crest of Crimea fluttered from a pennant held in his other hand. Engraved upon a plaque at the base of the statue were the words "Sir Ike: The Blue Flame." The name came from how Ike's unruly blue hair flowed like fire in the wind, as well as the blue flames that erupted from him and Ragnell when Yune lent him her power to deliver the final blow to Ashera during the Goddess War. Since so many master sculptors had contributed to its construction and many laguz aided in transporting the required marble, the project was finished within a month. It was meant to be a surprise gift to Ike, to thank him for his service and to show exactly how much Crimea respected him and his heroic deeds, but he had departed Tellius before the statue could be completed. Despite this, the work had been completed in homage to the absent hero. Geoffrey would no doubt target this structure first since the group had been closer to Melior than the Greil Mercenaries' fort. And if Kieran and Marcia didn't stop him there, he'd no doubt target the fort after.

"Damn you, Geoffrey…" Kieran opined to himself. "His majesty is so going to hate this!"

Meanwhile, Geoffrey himself had spurred his horse to top speed in hopes none of his comrades would catch up to him. He knew all too well how easily Marcia could spot him from the sky and he simply did not want to see anyone at the moment. Tears of fury streamed from his eyes as he headed straight for Melior's heart. As Kieran and Marcia had surmised, he decided to head for the main square. After all, what better target for his wrath than the statue devoted to Ike himself? Granted, Ike didn't even know the statue had been erected, but Geoffrey had nonetheless decided it was the perfect target.

Leaving it shattered upon Melior's streets would make quite an impression upon those people who were pinning for the so-called hero who'd already turned his back on them.

However, even after he'd done that, someone could still find and recognize him, so he was better off finding a disguise first. And, he knew the perfect one. Whenever Geoffrey snuck out to buy the ale he'd been drinking, he'd don a ragged cloak and a shirt, pants, and boots of simple make and use one of the wagon horses instead of his warhorse so he wouldn't be recognized. He also made use of one of the wagon horses instead of his warhorse to better blend in with the other wayfarers who came and went from the capital. After his frequent visits to the sordid taverns, the bartenders knew his garb, and likely his voice as well, though Geoffrey had taken great pains to ensure none could learn his name. Even better, their businesses were too far from the statue for them to hear his impending strike. And since the sun was setting, it would be dark by the time he reached Melior's main roads, which was even better still. This way, no one would likely see him riding to the castle and sneaking to the royal stables.

Geoffrey had been born and raised in Melior and knew its streets and alleyways like the back of his hand, allowing him to reenter the city and reach the main square in the Melior's heart without drawing undue attention. He soon be held the statue, Ike mounted on a warhorse that never existed, and which he'd likely never mount in any case, with Ragnell and the banner of Crimea held high as if he was leading a charge, and his ire deepened. All those years ago, Ike had been...what? A second-rate mercenary, who had only been made commander of the Greil Mercenaries briefly after he'd joined? And very suddenly since it was due to Greil's death at the hands of Zelgius? Ike had been surrounded, literally, by people who were far more seasoned warriors and able commanders than he. That red haired Paladin, Titania, came to mind, as did Oscar, Tanith, Sigrun, Lucia, Ranulf, the laguz royals and even the wild Kieran. All of them had led men into battle many more times than Ike had and each had far more experience that the mercenary he saw commemorated before him. And, there were still others who had as much a claim to such a monument as Ike.

The Imperial Guards who gave their lives to ensure Elincia's safe passage to Gallia.

The late King Ramon and the queen who chose death over abandoning the pursuit of peace with the laguz.

The Royal Knights who'd given their blood in the fight against Ashnard, Ludveck and Ashera.

And even Duke Renning, who had long been a peerless general and statesman.

Yet, all the flighty minded masses saw was this interloping mercenary, who had literally stumbled across his destiny, while so many others who worked hard to find their own destinies, and even died for it, were summarily forgotten.

Geoffrey ground his teeth until his jaw hurt, tempted to reduce the statue to rubble right then and there, but he thought better of it. _Hmph, too bad… Once I return here, that statue will fall. Let's see what people think of their so-called hero then…_

With that, Geoffrey made for the royal stables, keeping off the main roads and using paths he knew would not be watched. As he traveled, Geoffrey began outlining a rough plan in his mind. The disguise he'd used to travel to the taverns was hidden in his horse's stable, under a loose section of the floor. He would fetch them, leave his own horse in the stall and then take another mount to use for his assault. He'd ridden many of the other horses in the stables before, and they'd likely let him on their backs without complaint. Then, he'd set out. He would, naturally, need to avoid any guards since it would raise quite a few awkward questions if he was found at the castle when he was supposed to be on a mission for the king. He began trying to devise a plausible cover story in case he was spotted and questioned, but then his anger returned.

Echoing from somewhere to his left was somebody bemoaning Ike's absence in a sad, slurred voice. Even in these deserted alleyways, anywhere he went, it would only be the same. It was Ike this, Ike that, Ike everywhere one listened. The absent mercenary had become a thorn in Geoffrey's side that he could not be rid of, even when he wasn't anywhere in the continent. Ike's heartbreak over Elincia was understandable, that much even Geoffrey could admit, but instead of trying to move on, Ike had simply upped and left the continent while Crimea fell into disarray behind him. Meanwhile, Geoffrey and his knights as well as the other Crimean soldiers and mercenaries were doing all the work keeping the country safe in the midst of a crisis that Ike's irresponsible departure had triggered. That Ike still had all the credit heaped on him while everyone else was practically ignored was repugnant. The ones who fought in the Wars, the ones who stayed behind to make sure the peace between the races came to be, the ones who _died_ to make it happen, they deserved credit. They were the heroes. Heck, Ike wouldn't even have become the hero he was if it weren't for the army he commanded so heroically and passionately and the rather spectacular whimsies of fate which had put him in command in the first place. Credit needed to be given where credit was due, and Ike certainly did not deserve all of it. And, perhaps, the next few days would get the message across.

With these thoughts in mind, Geoffrey had no doubts he would succeed in convincing Crimea of this and easing his mind. Taking advantage of the shadows and the grassy turf which muffled their steps, he led his horse to his stall and dismounted. With practiced hand and stealth, he quickly removed the horse's saddle and trappings and set them aside, so it would be more comfortable. Geoffrey then shoved aside the hay stack to expose a tiny crack in the floor. He pried at it, raising the stone and revealing the simple clothes he sought and he quickly changed into them. As he finished changing, he spent a long moment watching his horse take a drink from the water trough nearby. The warhorse had served him long and well, before the Wars, through them both and beyond, and he would miss his faithful partner. It also dawned on him that he was giving up a great deal more than that if he followed through on his plans. His sister, his friends, his knighthood and his reputation. But, if his actions brought about the recognition the others deserved, perhaps it would be worth the sacrifice. Once he'd thrown his cloak around his back, Geoffrey then exited the stall and closed its door. He then turned to face his horse, reaching in to stroke the creature's neck.

"I don't know if we'll see each other again old friend," he spoke to the horse, the habit being an occupational hazard, Lucia would sometimes joke about. "But, if we don't, I just wanted to say I appreciate your help over all these years and I'll miss the times we had together. Good bye, and good luck."

_Well, at least _somebody_ finally said what had to be said._

Upon leaving the stall, he then headed for another one. Inside was one of the brown wagon horses, often used to haul equipment and to help teach squires the basics of horsemanship. Since the beast was so used to being ridden by strangers, it offered no objection when Geoffrey began to saddle up.

"So far, so good…" Geoffrey mumbled to himself as he mounted up. He had to work fast or else he'd risk getting caught. He knew the shifts and patrol routes of the castle soldiers by heart and could evade them easily, but since the bandit crisis had occurred, it was possible that Renning tightened security, even around a target as unlikely as the royal stables. Still, Geoffrey managed to get in unseen, which meant he could escape unnoticed too. And doing so was well worth the risk in his eyes.

There were so many slights against so many people to be avenged. And, if no one would strike on their behalf, he would.

Before heading back to Melior's main square, Geoffrey made sure to disguise his brave lance as well by covering it in white wrapping which he'd hidden along with the simple clothes. Its distinctive color and forked blade all too easy to recognize, and he did not want to be discovered prematurely. Once he was finished, Geoffrey immediately galloped away from the stables. Again, he managed to depart without being spotted, as he'd timed his movements to occur between the patrols. Within minutes, the castle was behind him and the main square came into view once more, the flickering light of the surrounding torches illuminating the area in a dusky, shadowy glow.

Geoffrey brought his horse to a halt in front of Ike's statue and gripped his lance. He then unwrapped the wrapping he'd placed around the blade and eyed the statue's face, his face contorting in rage.

"You never did know the first thing about duty and responsibility, did you?" Geoffrey snarled at the statue, as if speaking to Ike himself. "People everywhere are clamoring for you, even now, yet all you ever had to your credit was luck. Luck to be Greil's son and learn his techniques, luck to have such able companions, luck to literally stumble upon your destiny that day when you found Elincia. You were glad enough to take the credit people insisted on heaping upon you and yet, when it really counted, you turned and ran. This cannot go unanswered."

With that, the knight sprang from his horse. Securing his hood with one hand, Geoffrey then leaped into the air again as high as he could, gracefully twirled his lance above his head, and drove it into the statue's chest. He then followed up with several more stabs to the gut. The forked blade of the Brave Lance penetrated the marble like butter and cracks began to web outward from the impact. First one, then many, until Geoffrey struck a final time and the edifice crumbled under the blow. Geoffrey then stalked to the statues head, which came away more-or-less intact, and his lips peeled away from his teeth in a furious snarl.

"Good riddance," Geoffrey uttered angrily as he drove his lance right into the face, shattering it to bits as well. Slowly, as if savoring his victory over the edifice, he unwrapped his brave lance and examined it. The weapon had been presented to him some years ago, when he was promoted to general of the Royal Knights, by King Ramon himself and the lance had accompanied him ever since. It was one of a kind, at least, as far as he knew, and he had treasured it, painstakingly refurbishing and reinforcing the weapon to ensure it would not break under abuse. But, looking it now did not remind him of the pride he felt upon receiving it and his rank, nor the resolution to prove worthy of both. Instead, he heard echoes of that crowd who had been so eager to strip him of a rank and position he'd spent years earning and give it to an upstart mercenary. With a derisive snort at the flighty masses, he decided to add a finishing touch to the destruction he had inflicted. With practiced aim, he flung the lance at the plague at the statue's base. It struck the plague dead center, burying itself in the brass and sending pieces of metal and inscription flying.

"With this, do I respectfully tender my resignation," he declared to the ruined statue, or perhaps to the absent Ike, or maybe the masses who had turned against him and his brothers-in-arms, or possibly to himself.

To celebrate his success, he decided to pay another visit to one of the several taverns he'd been to recently. Geoffrey still had plenty of his salary leftover from his time as a general. Why not use some of it right now to satisfy himself further?

After leaving the scene of the crime, Geoffrey seemed to flow into the shadows in a fashion Volke, an assassin Bastian hired during the Goddess War, would've approved of. He was not troubled by the possibility that his abandoned lance might be linked to him. It was quite the opposite, in fact. He was rather hoping that the lance would be recognized and that those who had betrayed him would know just what their thoughtlessness had unleashed. He rather hoped that that former knight with the crippled hand was among those who reached such a conclusion, the image of the man quaking in terror at every shadow was simply delightful.

After traveling a sensible distance from the square, where the ruined statue had likely been discovered by now, Geoffrey found his destination. It was a pub and restaurant, owned jointly, that was an almost respectable establishment. A patron who'd been skimpy on his tipping came flying through one of the windows, accounting for the 'almost.' Just as Geoffrey finished tying his horse, a thought occurred to him. It was not only the deluded masses Ike had betrayed with his departure, but others. Others far more...personal.

The Greil Mercenaries.

After all, hadn't Ike betrayed his own father's dying wish by leaving them? And, for that matter, hadn't his departure triggered the group breaking up, leaving it but a shadow of its former might? The Greil Mercenaries, former and current, seemed to share the delusion that Ike was an honorable man but, perhaps something should be done to make sure they got the message about what manner of man Ike had revealed himself to be.

Such as, for instance, burning their fort down?

The fort, Geoffrey knew, was no longer used by the Greil Mercenaries. After half their group had left, the property was too full of memories and too large for the remaining mercenaries to maintain. The Crimean Historical Society had purchased the fort and converted it into a museum dedicated to the group as well as the wars.

_Perfect._

The interior of the pub was much the same as the bad tipper being thrown through would suggest. It was rough place, the furnishings bearing the scars of more than a few barroom brawls and some signs of being used as weapons in those battles. Gruff men manned the bar, dispensing potent ales and preparing all manner of questionable food, while sultry women took orders and dressed in a fashion suggesting they'd accept payment which didn't take the form of money.

Geoffrey saw one of the serving women eye him, tug suggestively at the neckline of her dress and wink at him, and Geoffrey found himself wondering if he ought to provide a different sort of "tip" for the service. That disaster between him and Elincia hadn't exactly done much for Geoffrey's opinions on chastity and married life.

The bartender, a gruff but fair man who'd seen Geoffrey often, recognized him at once.

"Ah, back again, stranger? Want yer usual?" he inquired.

"Sure. Only this time, I'll have some sustenance as well," Geoffrey replied as he sat down on a stool at the long table. It was a long trip to the fort, and why make such a journey on an empty stomach? "I'll take a leg of mutton, a bowl of stew, and some bread."

"Sure thing," the bartender agreed. "By the way…"

"Hm?"

"Ye come t'the taverns 'n pubs 'round these parts quite a bit lately, but no one knows who ye are," the bartender pointed out as he grabbed a tray filled with bottles of the ale Geoffrey had been drinking in the castle. "When it comes to regulars, some of us at least like t'know their names."

"I see…" Geoffrey replied and quickly thought of an answer for the bartender. "Just call me…Jeff."

"Jeff, eh? Y'know, that could be a nickname for that there General Geoffrey from the castle. But o'course, many people can have the same first name."

"Right."

With that, Geoffrey popped the cork off of one of the bottles the bartender handed him and gulped half of it down in one long swig. Although he was angry, despondence and bitterness still curdled in his gut. At this point, there was no going back. The moment his lance was identified, his days as the well-respected leader of the Crimean Royal Knights would be over. But, then again, weren't they over beforehand? Those ignorant people who were mindlessly pining for Ike, utterly ignoring the people who were actually _doing_ something about the crisis, had made that quite clear. Ike was who the people wanted, and everybody else was just brushed aside. Geoffrey doubted that tearing down Ike's statue would change that, and he was quite certain the act would cause him to go from being ignored to being hated, but he could live with it.

"Ya look right glum, Jeff," the bartender spoke up as Geoffrey rather hurriedly downed his meal. "Maybe ya would be cheered up by some...dessert?"

The bartender made a casual gesture towards the serving women and, easily recognizing his meaning, Geoffrey browsed them. One was too young for him, another was too small about the bosom. He skipped over one who much too large about the chest, passed over another with a posterior bigger than both of Largo's biceps put together, and didn't even spare a second glance to one who reminded him too much of the absent Elincia. He almost decided upon one who looked about his age and well proportioned but, when he heard her mention something about "groups only," he reconsidered.

Geoffrey was all for sharing, unlike a certain hated mercenary, but what the girl was suggesting was a _little_ much.

"Maybe next time," Geoffrey replied, leaving a tip which ensured that he wouldn't be thrown through a window anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Kieran and Marcia had finally reached Melior's outskirts. Predictably, another group of bandits had delayed them, this one demanding a toll for passage along the road leading to Melior. The pair _almost_ considering paying, just to save time, but quickly reconsidered. Thankfully, that particular band had been small enough for the two to handle by themselves, but it still delayed them when they could least afford it. The two knights could only hope that Geoffrey's rage hadn't yet caused any serious trouble. The pair had little time to listen to gossip but, when they inevitably had to stop for rest, plenty of it reached them. And, what they heard was troubling. Anywhere and everywhere, people were still pining for the absent Ike and nearly as many were talking about Ike replacing Geoffrey as Crimea's general. It was as if Geoffrey's own service and heroics had been forgotten, and that nothing mattered besides Ike's exploits. While this hardly excused Geoffrey's actions, it did help to put them in perspective. Geoffrey might very well be within his rights to fight back against what was happening to him, but doing so with violence would only make things worse.

The gossip also yielded another revelation: Renning was right, people had been far too dependent upon Ike. While Ike was certainly a peerless warrior and his charismatic leadership verged on enchanting, the way people were either pining for his return or seemed convinced that his departure meant a Dark Age was at hand was ridiculous.

Perhaps, in a way, Ike's leaving was a blessing in disguise. It would be a hard adjustment, but the people needed to learn to find others to rely on. And, for those who'd served with Ike but were less well known, this was a chance to shine.

"Ugh, I can see where Geoffrey's coming from…" Marcia spoke up as she and Kieran left the town. "People keep trash-talking him like it's nothing and don't even care if he's around to hear it. Maybe Ike was indeed the stronger warrior, but that doesn't mean we can't protect Crimea just as well as he did. I'm not saying to just forget him, but people need to move on and see that you and Geoffrey are the beef of Crimea's might now!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he should go crazy and nearly kill someone!" Kieran retorted. "Crimean Royal Knights should never even think about sinking so low!"

"True, but once we make Geoffrey come to his senses, we'll help him get back to his old self and try to convince the people in a much more peaceful way that they need to believe in us more. Alright?"

"Fair enough…"

With that, the pair proceeded through Melior's darkened roads and streets, on the alert in case Geoffrey was still there. As soon as the main square came into view, however, both came to a stunned halt. What they saw before them confirmed their worst fears and then some. The statue of Ike had been decimated, pieces of it strewn all over the roads. A crowd was gathering around the ruined edifice, some bursting into tears at the sight and others seeming helplessly stunned. Then, the largely undamaged crest of Crimea was torn free from the statue's pennant by the wind and carried off. A long silence descended upon the square, broken only by occasional whisperings about a "very bad omen." Kieran growled, clenching his fists until the metal in his gauntlets became dented.

"Damn it! He beat us here! And he left his calling card too!" Kieran angrily blurted, pointing to the brave lance sticking out of the statue's base.

"Ugh, it's all because of those stupid bandits from earlier!" Marcia opined angrily. "I guess we should've paid them after all. Now what are we going to tell his majesty?"

"Never mind that, we need to stop to Geoffrey first! He's probably targeting the Greil Mercenaries' fort next!"

"But, didn't they sell the fort to those bookworms and move out?"

"Yeah, but they're close enough to see any trouble that pops up there. If Geoffrey attacks the fort...museum...whatever it is, they'd come running to protect the museum staff and the visitors."

"Oh! You're right! We've got to get there then!"

"Let's take the lance too. We have enough to worry about without angry mobs getting into the mix."

Marcia wasn't hesitant to agree as Kieran shoved his way through the crowd and retrieved the brave lance. It seemed like Geoffrey actually wanted people to know what he was doing. And, perhaps he did. He might've wished to convey a message to whomever would find the lance, or perhaps he wanted to frighten them as punishment for turning on him? Either way, standing around pondering the matter wasn't helping. With that, the pair rode off as fast as they could once more. Since Titania and the remaining Greil Mercenaries had moved out of the fort, they would likely be fine even if the fort was attacked. But, the Fort was a museum now; and Geoffrey might be about to level a building full of tourists. To complicate matters still further, the sun had set awhile ago. In the dark, Geoffrey's trail would be all but impossible to see and they'd have no way of telling if he was ahead of them, behind them or going somewhere else completely. Still, would Geoffrey actually commit such an act? For a long time, he was a loyal knight and seemed as though he would never harm an innocent person out of anger or just for his own enjoyment. But then again, that incident with the gossiping crowd argued otherwise. Now, however, he had become twisted, vindictive, and possibly even cruel.

"Hey, you know something? I think I just figured him out," Kieran spoke up as he and Marcia approached Melior's outskirts again.

"What do you mean?" Marcia inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"I mean I think Geoffrey is having some sort of mental breakdown that's been triggered by his depression. Yeah, that has to be it! I just remembered he once told me that he was prone to such problems and that it had already occurred once in his childhood!"

"Really? That would certainly explain things!"

"I've seen some cases where knights who have brushes with death get rattled by it, with the exception of myself of course. They start reliving whatever happened to them over and over and suffer intense fear."

"But, that doesn't sound like what Geoffrey's dealing with."

"No, but it's similar. He's had times in the past where he's dealt with stress that's traumatized him. When he was a little kid, he had all these recurring nightmares that left him jumpy and skittish. Other kids started teasing him over it and calling him a scaredy cat. Caused some paranoia for awhile, which then led him to avoid people and being touched all together. The nightmares and the kids just began scaring and worrying him half to death while the other kids kept winding him up. Eventually messed him up so bad he started having seizures."

"Oh wow… Poor guy…"

"Yeah. I _do_ know that this sort of thing can be treated though. Geoffrey was pretty objective about it at first, but got the treatment. And, Count Bastian was in an awful state when he realized he'd lost Lady Lucia, but he worked to recover and, well, look at him now."

"Oh yeah, is it true that during his slump, Bastian actually talked like a normal person?"

"Believe it or not, yes. I know we can help Geoffrey, but we have to catch him first before things get worse."

"Right! You know, you're more serious than you let on, Kieran."

"Heh, yeah, I suppose that's true. Still, this is Geoffrey we're concerned about. He's my friend and I don't like the idea of wrestling him to the ground and dragging him back to the castle like he's some sort of bandit. But, he might not give us a choice."

"True, but one thing still bothers me. He may be having a breakdown, but I don't think he's _completely_ lost it. I mean, he's had plenty of time and chances to harm other people and he hasn't. I don't think he wants to hurt the people at the fort museum, or the Greil Mercenaries for that matter. I think he just wants to see them suffer the way he has."

"What about what he did just before he took off?"

"That was probably just to scare those people, so they'd shut up. Hitting that guy in the head and killing him would've been an easy throw, I could've done it with my eyes closed. I honestly think he missed on purpose, and I doubt Geoffrey actually intended to harm anyone."

"I guess. But we still need to find him no matter what's going on in his head right now."

"True."

Meanwhile, ahead of the pair of knights by some hours, Geoffrey had nearly reached the former fort of the Greil Mercenaries. Already, he was mulling over how best to time his strike. Burning down a building to strike vicariously at the hated Ike was fine by him; doing so while it was crammed full of visitors who would surely roast to death was not. Geoffrey doubted that there'd many visitors at the fort which was now a museum, the rise in banditry likely took its toll on the tourist trade, but if the museum's staff was there, he'd need some means to lure them out of the building. That train of thought, however, reminded Geoffrey that he himself might run into bandits. While he was certain he could handle them, they might be a problem if there were too many of them. Even so, in his eyes, the risk was well worth it. He could only hope he wouldn't end up injuring anyone after setting the place aflame. While knocking Ike around did hold some appeal, Geoffrey could not bring himself to harm anyone else. Even when he'd tossed a javelin into the crowd just before leaving Kieran and Marcia he hadn't intended to harm anyone, only scare them in hopes that their chatter would stop. It had easy enough to throw his javelin so that it flew very near the people, but without actually hitting any of them. After all, his goal was vindication, not bloodshed.

Some hours later, Geoffrey felt his eyelids begin to grow heavy. It was long past sunset and he hadn't slept since before being dispatched on Renning's orders. He could also feel his hair begin to grow rough and greasy from being abroad so long, but he didn't care. All that mattered to the once loved general was repaying the Crimean people for belittling him and all the others who had laid down their lives for that mass of flighty ingrates. As the Fort finally came into view, a feral grin spread over Geoffrey's features. He yanked the reins to bring his horse to a halt and listened intently. The area was dead quiet and no lights were lit. His smile broadened as he slowly dismounted and crept up to the nearest window. He peered inside to find it was an empty bedroom. Well, empty of people, that is. It was actually a bit cluttered. The simple room included a bed, a weapons rack, a dresser and an armor stand. The armor stand held what looked like an old suit of Crimean ceremonial armor. That, plus a gold hair clip sitting on a dresser nearby indicated that it was Titania's. It seemed she left a few personal effect to lend some authenticity to the museum, because in addition to the armor and the hair clip, there was an axe, a tea set, a whetstone and a small portrait of the late Greil. Plagues with information for the tourists dotted the room, making Geoffrey roll his eyes at how overdone the whole thing was.

"Hehe, just as I'd expected," Geoffrey muttered to himself. "This'll be even easier than I thought."

With that, he moved back from the window a few steps and drove his foot into the glass. Once it was completely shattered, he hopped inside and immediately began to search for a lantern. After He searched several rooms, all done up as exhibits like Titania's, and the mess hall before finding one that was over half full with oil at the new museum's front desk. Geoffrey then exited the building and snatched a club-sized branch from a nearby tree. He quickly tore a few strips from his cloak, dosed them with a goodly portion of the lantern's oil, wrapped them around the branch and then used the lantern itself to ignite the torch.

At first, Geoffrey thought to simply throw the improvised torch through the first available window, but then something a little more..._poetic_ occurred to him. Taking care not to let any stray sparks from the torch ignite his clothes, he circled the fort until he found what must've been Ike's room. On the dresser was a small portrait of Ike as a younger man with his arm around Elincia. How that portrait had been done was a mystery, since Ike and Elincia had kept their love secret and, as far as Geoffrey knew, didn't have a confidant who was a skilled painter. Why it was still here was obvious though, Ike must've left it behind when he believed Elincia had left him. After a moment's deliberation, Geoffrey decided to take the portrait with him. Rather than burn it on the spot, he decided a more public display would be better.

Ike had left very few other personal effects behind. His old Regal Sword and a wooden practice sword were on display as were a few maps and books on swordsmanship. The rest, Ike likely took along with him. But, one thing caught Geoffrey's eye. On display inside an open armoire was the uniform Ike had worn as General of the Crimean Liberation Army, or an impossibly good imitation, Geoffrey couldn't tell which and didn't care. Smashing open the window, Geoffrey first used the remaining lantern oil to dose the uniform and the surrounding room. Then, he clambered back out the window and hurled the torch at the oil soaked uniform. It hit the mark and the uniform burst into flames which quickly sought out the rest of the oil, spreading to the curtains and the furniture. Feral delight coming over him, Geoffrey moved from window to window, smashing them as he went, as he followed the fire's progress. The flames engulfed one room after another, foul smoke billowing skyward in enormous, twisting black plumes.

Moving to a safe distance, Geoffrey watched the spectacle of destruction. The Fort by now was fully engulfed in the flames. Pieces of charred wall and roof were breaking loose and embers flew in all directions. Flames reflecting in his eyes, Geoffrey watched with deep gratification.

"You took away my honor, my reputation, my home, my family and everything I'd worked so long and hard to achieve," Geoffrey intoned to the absent Ike. "Now, I return the favor!"

On that note, Geoffrey settled onto the turf and pulled out another bottle of ale. Quaffing it with gusto, he continued to watch as the Fort burned down before him.

_Should've brought some marshmallows,_ he mused sarcastically.

Despite his growing exhaustion, Geoffrey stayed awake as long as he could to watch the destruction continue to unfold. This would make quite an impression, he knew. It would not take long for these ruins to be discovered and, when they were, the people would be horrified. Oh, they would pine for Ike some more, he didn't doubt, but sooner or later they would finally start asking themselves why he _hadn't_ come. Perhaps more questions would follow, such as what Ike's departure said about him. And, after that, the people would finally realize just how much they'd overlooked. Perhaps he'd be there to see it, though it was doubtful.

Still, if Ike's wrongfully gained fame went to those who'd truly earned it, he'd be content. With that, his exhaustion finally won out and he slept.

Elsewhere, Kieran and Marcia were still pursuing their ernstwhile superior officer, desperate to find him before he destroyed anything else and caused even more trouble. The two Knights had no way of knowing if anyone besides them had realized Geoffrey was behind this string of vandalism, but, if his rampage continued, someone would inevitably find out and spread the word. Once Renning found out, he could very well send Geoffrey into exile, or worse, have him imprisoned or even hung. And Kieran could not let that happen. He simply couldn't bear the thought of losing his best friend like this, despite what Geoffrey had done. The knight gritted his teeth as he rode his horse along behind Marcia's Pegasus, gradually lagging behind. The pair had run into bandits yet again, and although this battle had not lasted as long as the one before it, it turned out to be much rougher. Kieran had been severely wounded and blood trickled from cuts on his face, neck, arms, and legs. His chest plate had also been dented while his tunic was torn in at least a few places. Marcia sighed as he glanced behind her and watched her comrade struggle to keep up with he, but wounds and weariness were taken their toll on Kieran despite his usual bluster.

"Kieran, really, are you sure you don't have any more vulneraries left?" she inquired.

"I'm positive. I searched myself…all over…" Kieran stammered, grimacing at a growing pain in his left wrist, which was slightly crooked and swelling. It was a good thing he was right-handed, or he'd be unable to use an axe anymore and thus be useless in a fight. He bellowed when he attempted to turn his hand.

"Damn…" he opined.

"Ugh, now see, you've even dislocated your wrist!" Marcia pointed out, halting her Pegasus. "You can't go on like this. Let me find Geoffrey myself and you go to the nearest village and find a healer or some healing medicine! I'd give you mine, but I only have a teensy bit left."

"No… No way. It's too dangerous for you to go anywhere alone at this hour…" Kieran protested with another wince. "Besides, neither of us can take Geoffrey alone right now. Erggh… I'm fine. Don't you think…I'm used to this by now? I hurt myself all the time in training, remember?"

"Well, even if you are moving at a snail's pace, you do have a point. But still, I don't want to take any chances! I'll stay in the sky where I won't easily be seen! And up there, I'd be able to spot Geoffrey in a snap!"

"It…doesn't matter. These bandits aren't that stupid. I wouldn't be surprised if they had bunch of archers waiting for you by now after what we've done to them. Not to mention…what Geoffrey might do to you if you were to find him alone…"

"I'll give you the archer thing, but Geoffrey would never hurt me!"

"Oh yeah? Maybe not intentionally, but what if his condition worsens? He might think you're Ike and try to give you what-for. What then?"

"Sigh… Alright, fine…"

Marcia was reluctant to carry on but, as Kieran had pointed out, she hardly had a choice in the matter. The fort wasn't far away and, if they were lucky, they could either convince Geoffrey to come with them or subdue him quickly. If it did come to a fight though, she was worried. Kieran wouldn't be much help in his condition and, though Marcia had come away with only a few bruises and a single cut on her leg, she was still worried about what might happen when they found Geoffrey. If it did come to a fight, and Geoffrey still carried a bow, she wouldn't last long against him either. Marcia's thoughts were interrupted when a faint feminine voice called out to the pair. The two halted and soon spotted a human silhouette racing towards them from a nearby village. She was frantically waving in their direction and motioned for the pair to come closer. Thinking perhaps he'd be able to heal up after all, Kieran wasn't hesitant to approach the person, which turned out to be a girl with long, beautiful golden brown hair and a blue dress of simple make. A yellow rose hairclip held some strands of hair on the right side of her head while her eyes were an emerald green. Marcia followed Kieran immediately, hoping the girl might have seen Geoffrey.

"Um, excuse me, sir knight…" the girl rather shyly spoke up when Kieran brought his horse to a halt. "You two are Royal Knights…right?"

"Yeah. You wouldn't happen…to have any healing medicine I could use…would you?" Kieran inquired, much to Marcia's relief that he didn't blurt out their rather sensitive mission.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Bandits robbed us of every medicine we had… In fact, there's not a drop of it to be found here anymore," the girl somberly reported. "Honest, if I had any, I'd certainly give you some."

"Blast…! Aaugh!" Kieran cried, having accidentally moved his dislocated wrist again trying to shake a fist at the absent bandits.

"Ah, it was worth a try, I suppose," Marcia replied with a sigh. "What can we do for you? Have you seen General Geoffrey?"

"General Geoffrey?" the girl replied, with surprise and clear interest. "I was going to ask you the same thing. Why would he be all the way out here? And, if he were, why wouldn't he be with you?"

"We were in combat with some bandits north of here," Kieran cut in, improvising. "We had them on the run. They split off and ran in all directions. General Geoffrey chased after one group, but he hasn't come back yet. We're trying to find him."

"I see," the girl replied. "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him. In fact, no one has lately, not even Melior, I hear. I wish I had though, there have been the most terribly rumors going around about him. Some people have said that he's disappeared and others say he destroyed the statue of Sir Ike in Melior's main square."

Kieran and Marcia exchanged grim glances, and the girl read their meaning instantly.

"It's true, isn't it?" the girl spoke up.

Kieran and Marcia were about to try and deny it, but feared the girl was too astute to be fooled.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," she went on. "People have been saying such awful things about him lately and, between that and his marriage breaking up, who wouldn't snap under all that? A lot of people were pretty broken up when Sir Ike left us, which is understandable, but the way people have just forgotten about everyone else who fought in the Wars is just terrible. A lot of brave people fought alongside Sir Ike, soldiers, knights and laguz, but so little acknowledgement if given to any of them. But General Geoffrey...well, he was a hero to me before I'd even heard of Sir Ike. And, he always will be. Whatever it is that's wrong with him, please help him."

"We will, don't worry…" Kieran assured. "Geoffrey's been my best friend for a long time. I certainly will not let this stand, even if I'm in bad shape! I wouldn't care if I had—"

"Kieran, don't you even think about going there," Marcia interrupted. "We don't have time for one of your speeches."

"Right… Sorry."

"Anyway, he is right about one thing. We'll do everything we can to help Geoffrey," Marcia continued with a smile. "He'll be back to his old self before you know it!"

"Thank you," the girl replied. "By the way, if there's any good news about General Geoffrey, I'd love to hear it. Just come back here and ask for Erica."

"We'll keep that in mind," Marcia replied.

With that, the pair continued their journey. As before, Kieran lagged behind, but managed to keep pace nonetheless. As Kieran struggled to keep up with Marcia, he mulled over the chance meeting with Erica. It was good to know that Geoffrey still had admirers out there. In fact, he found himself wondering if they should've brought Erica with them, she was obviously a perceptive and level headed woman, who might be able to talk Geoffrey down, but Kieran decided it was too risky. Besides, since they knew her name and where to find her, they could call on her if she was needed. In any case, Erica's loyalty was refreshing and admirable, something Ike would've appreciated.

Well before the pair reached the former home of the Greil Mercenaries, they saw that Geoffrey had beaten them again. Even in the darkness of the night, it was easy to spot columns of smoke billowing into the sky up ahead and blotting out the stars. Kieran and Marcia hurried as fast as they could to the scene, but as they had feared, the fort was ablaze and much of the structure had collapsed. Eyeing the spectacle, the two Knights felt their blood run cold, despite the heat of the fire. When news of this got out, all hell would break loose. Kieran let out a thunderous growl and drove his fist into a tree trunk.

"Damn it! If we don't find him soon, I'm going to go ballistic!" he blurted.

"Like one crazy knight isn't enough?" Marcia retorted.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Anyway, how are we supposed to put these flames out? A fire like this could spread like, well, wildfire!"

"Good question. We'd need a lot of water for this…"

"Not to mention even if we do manage to douse the fire, the bookworms are going to go nuts when they see this mess. Between buying this place from the Greil Mercenaries and setting up the museum, they've spent a fortune..."

"Oh crackers… Hey! Is that a horse up there?"

"Where?"

"Over on that hill next to the big tree," Marcia replied, pointing a finger to the lone brown horse grazing atop the hill.

"Huh, so it is. It can't be Geoffrey's though. Anyone knows he rides a white horse."

"Yeah. But doesn't it look familiar anyway?"

"Oh yeah, it does somehow. …Wait a second, did something on the ground near it just move?"

"W-What?"

"Shh! Stay behind me."

"But your injuries! And the fire!"

"Never mind that! I don't know what's up there, but it could be dangerous."

"Sigh… True."

With that, the two quietly dismounted and made their way towards the shadowed figure neat the brown horse. Moments later, a motionless figure in tattered clothes and a black cloak was revealed. He was sprawled on the grass as if he'd suddenly collapsed…or had died. The cloak's hood shrouded his face, making it impossible to see his features.

"I-It's a guy! Kieran, he could be sick or hungry or hurt!" Marcia gasped. "Quick, let's sit him up against the tree and give him my last bit of vulnerary! Then we should find the nearest village and bring him there."

"Hold your Pegasi!" Kieran warned. "For all we know, this guy could be a bandit. There are plenty of them around these days."

"Oh, come on! When was the last time you saw just one bandit? He isn't even armed. Now, help me out here!"

"Yeah, alright. From the looks of these clothes, he's probably homeless too," Kieran agreed and dismounted his horse. He then took the man by the shoulders and hauled him to the tree despite the pain in his dislocated wrist. As soon as Kieran propped the stranger up against the tree, however, the hood of the cloak fell back to reveal the man's identity.

"GEOFFREY!" Kieran exclaimed in shock, nearly stumbling backwards and instantly recognizing the man's azure hair.


	7. Knight in Shining Armor: Part 3

Part 3: An Act of Love

"Wha?" Geoffrey blurted in a slurred voice, roused by Kieran's outburst.

While the half-awake Geoffrey clutched his head and regarded the pair with blurred eyes, Kieran and Marcia regarded him with disbelieving eyes.

"What the—? He disguised himself!" Marcia realized, and at her words, Geoffrey winced and clutched his skull. "No wonder nobody's seen him lately!"

Geoffrey, by this time, had lurched to his feet. The motion was unsteady and he swayed in place all the while. He didn't look good either; the color of his face was all wrong, his cheeks were sunken, his eyes seemed even blearier than when he'd awoken and the smell coming off of him made Kieran gag.

"By the Goddess' left boob, what have you done to yourself?" Kieran exclaimed, unable to conceal his shock.

"There's your answer," Marcia cut in, pointing to a bottle in Geoffrey's hand that had gone overlooked.

"Ale?" Kieran gasped, doubly astonished. "Alright, this is the last straw! Just wait until his majesty hears about this!"

All through this exchange, Geoffrey had continued trying vainly to cover his ears and massage away some overpowering headache with his free hand. Kieran grimaced, Geoffrey was clearly, and badly, hung-over, but this might make him easier to subdue.

When Kieran actually tried to do so, he was proven wrong, dead wrong.

"Get your hands off me!" Geoffrey roared, his voice still commanding and intimidating despite the slur. "Do not interfere!"

"I can't do that, sir!" Kieran retorted. "This madness has to stop! Aaaaugh!"

Whatever else Kieran was about to say was cut off when Geoffrey swung the bottle against Kieran's bad wrist with incredible force. Kieran, swearing he could hear bones cracking under the blow, staggered back in overwhelming pain.

"NO! I won't stop!" Geoffrey protested, raising the bottle again. "Crimea will pay for betraying me after I've been loyal to her for so long! And Ike will pay for ruining my life! YOU HEAR ME, IKE?"

"We don't want this to get ugly," Marcia put in, but Geoffrey cut her off.

"Too bad," Geoffrey intoned with a furious slur. "I have sworn vengeance on Ike and he won't escape, and you won't either if you try to stop me!"

"Damn, you're MAD!" Kieran opined angrily. "OW! You want to pick a fight, you insane lout? Come on!"

"Ugh, boys! No!" Marcia cried out vainly as Geoffrey swung the bottle again.

The blow connected painfully with Kieran's temple and the red haired knight staggered, dazed and nearly passing out from the impact, and Geoffrey was quick to strike again. He swung the bottle again, but this time against a large rock, breaking it in half and leaving him with a bottleneck and a half a bottle rimmed with sharp edges. Seeing this, Marcia felt her blood run cold. Whatever had afflicted Geoffrey had pushed him beyond reason, perhaps beyond sanity, and he would not go peacefully. Geoffrey continued to swing the sharp, broken bottle against Kieran but the red haired knight had recovered some of his wits and dodged. Marcia, realizing that Kieran couldn't keep this up after taking such a blow to the head, snatched up some rocks and began throwing them at Geoffrey. One blow struck his elbow, causing his hand to spring open and the bottle to fall to the ground. Kieran, seeing the opening, lunged.

Kieran wrestled Geoffrey to the ground and the two began kicking and punching one another. This didn't do much to reassure Marcia though, as the two combatants could very well roll down the hill and right into the burning fort. Still, Kieran was right about one thing. Geoffrey's melancholy and bitterness had left him severely unhinged. As he struggled to break free of Kieran, he constantly spoke to Ike as if the mercenary were actually there and sometimes repeated the phrase "Crimea will pay" over and over. He almost sounded murderous, and that he no longer had any compunction against harming others besides Ike, which only frightened Marcia more.

"LET…ME…GO!" Geoffrey blurted moments later. Still pinned beneath Kieran, he drew back on fist and drove it into Kieran's jaw with all his force. Kieran was dislodged and sent hurtling down the hill, but still had a firm grip on Geoffrey and thus took the berserk Paladin with him. Marcia gasped and ran after them, only to have her ears scorched by a loud bellow.

"AAAAAAAH!" Kieran screamed as his dislocated wrist crashed against a rock while Geoffrey tumbled on top of him. Worse still, Geoffrey pinned Kieran's good hand and, being on top, now had Kieran at his mercy. Enraged, and quite possibly seeing Ike instead of his long time subordinate and friend, Geoffrey drew back his fist and pummeled Kieran mercilessly. Marcia snatched up more rocks and raced down the hill, terrified that Geoffrey might beat Kieran to death. Her first throw was glancing, and Geoffrey barely seemed to notice. Her second hit him in the shoulder, prompting Geoffrey to give her a warning glare, but he immediately went back to pummeling Kieran. Marcia's third throw hit him between the earlobe and the corner of the jaw line, finally getting Geoffrey's undivided attention.

"I didn't want to harm either of you, as my feud is with Ike alone, but that'll change if you keep this up!" he warned menacingly. "And, I'm warning you, I'll start with you if you don't back off!"

Marcia responded with a frightened gasp, not only at the threat but at the condition of both knights. Geoffrey's hair was tussled by the fight and his face was bespangled with bruises and cuts. Kieran though looked even worse. Blood flowed freely from his nose and mouth, turning his face as red as his armor and there was bruises and swelling all along his face. Battered as he was though, upon hearing Geoffrey's words, his expression verged on feral as he sprung to his feet.

"And _I'm_ warning you…" Kieran began, his anger transforming into unbridled fury as he began to struggle against Geoffrey's grip with renewed vigor. "If you so much as lay a _finger_ on her, I'll do more than just beat the living crap out of you! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE A HUNDRED CUTS ON MY BODY OR MY WRISTS BREAK TEN TIMES OVER OR YOU KNOCK OUT ALL MY TEETH WITH THOSE FEATHERWEIGHT PUNCHES OF YOURS! I'll PROTECT HER, I'll ALWAYS BE THERE FOR HER, AND NO ONE, NOT EVEN YOU, WILL MESS WITH HER AS LONG AS I'M AROUND BECAUSE _I LOVE HER!_"

Kieran immediately froze when he realized what he'd just blurted loud enough to wake the dead. He frantically glanced around him as his breathing became ragged, his mind verging on panic. Marcia merely stood there, her eyes wide with disbelief at what she had just heard.

"Kieran…" she finally uttered moments later.

Kieran's reply, whatever it might have been, was literally choked off when Geoffrey's hand clenched about Kieran's throat. But, Geoffrey had used the same hand he'd been using to keep Kieran's good hand pinned, allowing Kieran to fight back. Kieran drew back his fist and clocked Geoffrey as hard as he could, throwing the paladin off balance and allowing Kieran to get out from under him. Before Geoffrey could recover, both Kieran and Marcia had rushed him, pinning him to the ground.

"Geoffrey, think about what you're doing!" Kieran implored. "You're throwing away your future!"

"_What_ future?" Geoffrey demanded bitterly, struggling futilely against the two knights' grip. "I am despised by everyone! All those years of work were for nothing!"

"What about all our years together?" Kieran tried again. "All those times we'd get together and play games when we were younger? What about all those battles we fought together? Heck, what about that time we got those rashes from that poison ivy and dared each other to see how long we could go without scratching?"

A wistful expression came over Geoffrey's face, as he was remembering those days as well, but it was quickly gone.

"Those were simpler times," he replied, his tone turning cynical. "And, those days are gone."

"Okay, let's talk about now!" Marcia cut in. "What about Lady Lucia? She's already torn up about Elincia leaving, do you have any idea how much _this_ will hurt her?"

Here, Geoffrey fell silent.

"We both know what will happen when it gets out that you're behind this," Marcia went on. "_Everybody_ will be going talking about what happened. You know how the gossip around here works, Lady Lucia will never hear the end of it."

Geoffrey's struggles ceased and his expression became ashen.

"I know you feel as if the people have snubbed us," Kieran went on. "And, you're not alone either. You think the rest of us haven't heard all that talk? Well, we were expecting it. I know it's been hard since Elincia left, but his majesty needs us to step up and protect Crimea, and we need you to lead us."

"And why would anyone want me to lead them?" Geoffrey retorted, a bitterness in his tone once more. "Everyone has turned against me, even you."

If Kieran didn't need both feet planted firmly to keep Geoffrey from clocking him again or getting free, he would've kicked himself.

"That was just a slip of the tongue!" he protested. "I didn't mean that I wanted Ike to replace you, just that we might have a better handle on things if he was still here."

"Well, he isn't here," Geoffrey scoffed. "He turned his back on us when we needed him, and look where it's gotten us!"

"Yeah, we're in a bigger fix than the time Makalov's debt collectors barged in on the last knighting ceremony," Marcia quipped, but saw the anecdote did nothing for Geoffrey's disposition. "But, mutton chops, pull yourself together! Those people are just hung up over Ike leaving. Wasn't Count Bastian the same way when Lady Lucia turned him down? Comparing _everybody_ to Lady Lucia? Well, he got past it and you will too. There are plenty of people who still have faith in you, we met one of them not ten minutes ago."

This got Geoffrey's attention, but the look he gave in reply was one of suspicion, as if he didn't believe what Marcia had told him.

"Oh for crying out loud, get your head bolted on straight!" Marcia railed, exasperated. "She lives in a village just north of here. Her name's Erica, and she said a lot of the things that have been going through your head. Heck, I think she'd enjoy meeting you."

"But first, you need to trust us and let us get you some help," Kieran cut in. "If you won't do it for yourself, how about for Erica, Lucia and Elincia?"

Geoffrey was silent for a very, _very_ long moment. But, eventually, he nodded.

"Alright," he intoned, though his voice seem listless and broken. "I'll go quietly."

"It looks like the fires are beginning to die down," Marcia spoke up. "So I think we can go back to the castle immediately. I don't know how long it'll take for someone to get here, but we should be gone by the time they do."

"I'll get on my horse right away," Geoffrey replied, his voice still toneless and grim.

"Now just a minute," Kieran protested and grabbed Geoffrey by his cloak before he could go anywhere. "You're riding with me. Someone has to keep an eye on you just in case."

"Fine."

"This is going to be one of those days," Kieran moaned. "Marcia, would you mind pulling the brown horse along with you? I'd do it, but… I only have one good hand now."

"Of course," Marcia agreed with a smile.

With that, the trio returned to their steeds and began their journey home. At last, the madness was over, or at least, they hoped it was. Bandits still roamed the country and the trio could very well be intercepted by some. And if they were this time, they would likely stand no chance due to Kieran's injuries and Geoffrey's being unarmed and his questionable state of mind. Fortunately, Kieran knew of several back roads, which the bandits would not likely look for victims since they were rarely traveled. This allowed them to go undetected, though it did also lengthen the journey home. Hopefully Oscar and his team had completed their part of the mission and the knights, squires, and cadets Kieran and Marcia left behind finished theirs as well. All that would be left was somehow explaining Geoffrey's behavior to Renning and hope to the goddess that Geoffrey was not beyond recovery.

"Sigh… Lady Lucia's going to go crazy enough, but when Elincia finds out about all of this…" Marcia began, but couldn't bear to finish.

"You mean _if_ she finds out. No one has a clue where she is except that she's in Altarais," Kieran pointed out. "Still, if his majesty did know, he'd definitely tell her...if he knew how to reach her, that is. He would have to let her know how things are going here if he had a way, and he certainly can't hide anything from her or lie to her. And you're right, Elincia would be so devastated…"

A long, anguished sigh was the only reply from Geoffrey, but Kieran was ready to lose his temper nonetheless.

"Argh! Will you knock it off already?" he demanded. "You're giving me the creeps doing that! Everything will be fine."

Geoffrey lapsed back into sullen silence, his eyes pools of sadness.

"You certainly won't redeem yourself acting this way either," Marcia added. "So lighten up, 'kay?"

"Redeem?" Geoffrey scoffed, arching an eyebrow. "Cut my neck open, say a bandit did it in battle, and that'll do nicely."

Kieran brought a hand to his face.

"I'll never understand how he does this to himself…"

Marcia merely sighed as they continued their journey. Geoffrey's earlier words had her worried and, she suspected, Kieran was more worried about them than he'd care to admit. But Kieran's words from before rang through her mind as well. Did he truly love her? Or was he just trying to throw Geoffrey off? Marcia wished she could ask him that moment, but knew his injuries, as well as Geoffrey's, had to come first. Geoffrey seemed docile for now, but if he were to start another fight or worse, the trio ran into more bandits, it would take a miracle to escape alive. Even so, Marcia's cheeks turned a faint pink as a smile crossed her features. It was a good thing Kieran was ahead of her this time, or he'd have seen it. The truth was, she had a crush on him as well, and her heart would happily jump if he truly was her knight in shining armor.

Not more than an hour later, Kieran and Marcia gradually began slowing down. Exhaustion was growing on them while their eyelids began to get heavy. The lingering pain in Kieran's worst injuries as well as his broken wrist hadn't helped either. Pain and exhaustion were a bad combination, and Marcia was worried that Kieran's open wounds had gotten infected and would make him sick, especially when they had no medicine left and no idea if Geoffrey would remain passive. Eventually, their exhaustion won out and they considered where to stop for the night and how to keep Geoffrey from harming them, or himself, while they slept. Kieran had barely brought his horse to a halt when he felt something suddenly press against his back. He looked behind him to find Geoffrey fast asleep and using his backside as a pillow.

"Great, now I'm tired, I feel like a carriage trampled me twice, and I have a lunatic sleeping on me," Kieran grumbled in annoyance.

"Well, to be honest, I think Geoffrey actually has the right idea for once. I'm exhausted too," Marcia admitted. "And, I demand that you get some rest as well and try to clean those wounds!"

"With what though? We have no medicine and the only things we have for bandages are our clothes, and they're even dirtier than we are."

"I don't know, maybe we'll find a stream or well nearby. We certainly aren't close enough to any towns or villages right now. I don't think I can go much further. And our steeds are probably bushed too."

"Yeah, good point. Let's rest here."

With that, they halted their steeds near a large tree and dismounted. Before Kieran could haul the sleeping Geoffrey down, his horse suddenly lowered itself onto its haunches, causing Geoffrey to slide off its back. Kieran merely shrugged and then began digging around in his saddle bag.

"What are you looking for?" Marcia wondered as she tied her Pegasus and the brown horse to the tree.

"The rope I stole from that one gang of bandits in case we'd have to force Geoffrey to stay put," Kieran replied. "Ah, here it is. If I tie him to the tree, he can't try anything funny."

"Well, I suppose it's a good idea. What he said earlier, that made me nervous."

"Yeah, me too. Um… Could you give me a hand here? My dislocated wrist broke the first time Geoffrey smashed it with that bottle."

Before responding, Marcia burst out laughing. Kieran soon realized his unintentional pun and joined her.

"You're so funny, Kieran!" Marcia giggled. "But of course I'll help."

"Haha, thanks!"

Marcia looked around as she and Kieran hauled Geoffrey up against the tree and wrapped the rope around them. After making sure the knot was secure, Marcia sighed worriedly. There was no water nearby to cleanse Kieran's wounds.

"Oh crackers… No water near here at all. I still want to do something about that wrist of yours, though, so you don't accidentally lay on it in your sleep and make it worse. How bad is it?"

"It's pretty painful. I think both the joint and part of my arm bone snapped when Geoffrey and I tumbled down that hill. It's also swollen pretty badly."

"Ouch… I'm putting your arm in a sling then and I won't take no for an answer. Hold on."

"Alright…" Kieran rather reluctantly agreed as he sat down in the grass near Geoffrey.

As Marcia went about her task, she noticed that Kieran was eyeing Geoffrey unblinkingly and that his expression was wary. He was clearly worried about Geoffrey's talk earlier and, even though the subdued paladin was still asleep, he seemed far from reassured. The Pegasus knight placed a hand on Kieran's shoulder, giving it a friendly pat, before heading back to her mount.

With that Marcia dug around in her own saddle bag and produced a fairly large white cloth she normally used to clean her weapons after a mission. She then sat down next to Kieran and set his limp hand and wrist into the middle and tied the ends around his neck, making sure it was comfortably secure. Then, she retrieved two branches from a nearby tree and tied them together to make a splint so that the broken bone was held in place. Once Marcia decided she was finished, she looked up at Kieran to speak to him again, but remained silent. The two quickly noticed how close their faces were to one another's and their cheeks nearly instantly went deep pink. Kieran finally found words several moments later.

"Say… We've been through a lot together lately, haven't we?" he noticed.

"Yeah…. Kieran…" Marcia replied rather softly, not quite able to meet his eyes. "What you did back there… When you screamed in Geoffrey's face… Did you…really mean what you said? That you…"

"…That I love you?" Kieran finished, rather nervously. "Er… Well, I guess there's no hiding it anymore. I very well meant it. Every stinking word. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner instead of when all this was going on. I must've sounded like an idiot."

"Not at all. I thought it was sweet of you," Marcia countered with a loving smile.

Kieran's cheeks went even pinker.

"R-Really?"

"Really, really."

Kieran had no clue what to say after this. He could only remain silent as his face remained close to Marcia's. In fact, her face actually seemed to slowly draw closer. Kieran was quickly mesmerized into doing the same, and within the next few moments, his lips met Marcia's and the two were locked in a long, passionate kiss. Kieran soon curled his good arm around her waist, now realizing what Marcia had been implying beforehand when she spoke about her reasons for joining Crimea's Knights. She was trying to tell him that she loved him as much as he loved her. Several moments later, however, a high, cheerful voice interrupted them.

"Awww, how cute!" the feminine cry echoed from nearby.

Kieran and Marcia quickly parted and turned to find a girl with blue eyes and auburn hair that reached just past her shoulders. She was carrying a normal Heal staff and had a sword sheathed at her side. The girl's identity was obvious, but both knights suddenly found themselves hoping she wouldn't notice the third member of their party.

"Mist!" Marcia gasped, trying to work both embarrassment and nervousness out of her voice.

Before Marcia could continue, she unknowingly swung her hand into Kieran's bound wrist. His jaw clenched and his eyes bulged with the pain.

"Ow!" the red Paladin bellowed.

"Ah! Sorry!" Marcia quickly apologized. "Anyway, what are you doing out here all by yourself at this hour, Mist?"

" Oh, the Greil Mercenaries split up earlier to cover more ground," Mist explained. "Boyd, Rolf, and I came here and after we took out yet another group of bandits, we decided to spend the night in their stronghold. It was late and we were pooped. I was nearly done with my turn guarding the entrance when I saw you nearby. Well, I couldn't tell it was you, so I followed in case it was more bandits were coming for revenge. We could've used the money from another few kills, but that little scene earlier was just priceless. Wait until I tell the others!"

"But it's still dangerous out here!" Kieran protested, less than thrilled by Mist's words or her presence. "You should have at least taken one of those brothers with you!"

"Oh, I wasn't going far. And I've learned a lot about swordsmanship from—Oh! Kieran, you're a total mess!"

"Yeah, but Mist—!"

"Let me fix you right up! Is your arm broken too?"

"Just the wrist and only a small part of it."

"Oh dear. A regular Heal staff can't repair broken bones and this is all I've got left after all those battles… I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I'll be fine. But you need to get out of here right now!" Kieran warned as Mist focused her staff on him, worried that she'd discover Geoffrey.

"Why? Hey, who's that sitting against the tree over there?"

"Mist, wait!" Marcia pleaded.

"Hold on… General Geoffrey?" Mist gasped when she got a good look at Geoffrey's face . "Why's he in those icky old clothes? And why's his hair so smelly and dirty? And, what happened to his face? He looks almost as bad as Kieran."

For a breathless moment, Kieran was worried that Mist would see that Geoffrey was tied up. And, _that_ would lead to quite a few very awkward questions. To his relief, Geoffrey's cloak had fluttered over the rope, covering it, and the rest was hidden by the tree's shadowy bulk.

"Shhh!" Kieran protested, his voice turning into a harsh whisper. "He's the reason you need to get out of sight!"

"What? Are you telling me the rumors we heard about him are true?" Mist worriedly inquired. "That he has a huge grudge against my brother?"

"Well…yes," Marcia grimly replied.

"Oh…"

"Geoffrey...hasn't been himself lately," Kieran added, hoping Mist would get the hint. "I don't think you should be here when he wakes up."

"I see. I have to agree that people are thinking too highly of Ike nowadays. He made history and saved Crimea twice, yes, but…all these people are nuts. I really miss my brother too, but him leaving isn't the end of the world. Heck, I was right there with him the whole time and I'm almost as good as he is...or, at least, almost as good as Mia. I can fill in for him now that he's gone."

"Exactly. Geoffrey's been pretty frustrated that nobody else has gotten the message," Marcia added. "It didn't help matters that everyone else seems to have lost faith in him and the Royal Knights. Add in Elincia leaving and, well, it's been rough on him. He blames Ike for all these problems, and you're Ike's sister. I _really_ don't think he ought to know you're here."

Mist looked confused, and more than a little afraid. Kieran and Marcia hoped that she'd take the hint and leave, because saying more could mean risking that news of Geoffrey's instability could spread. Mist obviously suspected, and that was more than the two knights could afford. To their relief, Mist did not press for details but instead nodded.

"I understand. I wish I could invite you three to stay with the boys and me, but I know I can't. I hope you'll be alright!"

"Don't worry, we will," Kieran assured, discreetly wiping his brow.

With that, Mist quickly used her staff to heal Kieran's wounds and then departed to rejoin her comrades. Both Marcia and Kieran were relieved that Geoffrey was still out and that Mist had come and gone without rousing him. Still, they wondered whether or not they should have told Mist about the fort museum being burned down. It would've spared her the shock of discovering her childhood home burned down, but then Mist surely would've guessed the culprit. Whatever the case, at least now Kieran could rest, free of the pain.

"Hey, Kieran…" Marcia spoke up moments later, a loving, yet rather bashful smile on her face.

"Yeah?" Kieran replied, turning to face her.

"I love you too, my knight in shining armor."

With that, Marcia curled her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his cheek. A wide, ecstatic grin formed on Kieran's face as he felt Marcia's kiss against his skin.

"Wowzer," he opined.

When morning crept over the land and the sun poked its way above the horizon, Geoffrey's eyelids began to flutter open. At first, he had no idea where he was at. His vision was blurry, and his memory even more so. His body felt stiff, his head full of fog, and all he could make out before him were several colored blobs. Three of them were large and the other two were much smaller. Geoffrey attempted to move his arms, but for some reason, they wouldn't cooperate. He soon found he was sitting down in soft, green grass and attempted to stand up. Unfortunately, his body wouldn't allow him. Something was holding him to the ground. Geoffrey soon realized he was also sitting up against something broad and hard. Finally, his vision cleared moments later and his eyes scraped shut against the sunlight. Once the sunlight became bearable, it took mere seconds for him to make out Marcia fast asleep and leaning against Kieran's shoulder. One of Kieran's arms was in a sling while his other was around Marcia's waist. The two were sitting up against an elegant white horse. Geoffrey then glanced down upon himself and soon discovered why he was unable to move. He'd been bound to a tree. And, what's more, an all too familiar cloak was wrapped about his form.

For a moment, he considered rousing Kieran so that he might be untied, but the words died in his throat. After all, what was the point? He was hardly in a position to make demands and, even if Kieran did untie him, Geoffrey rather doubted he'd be better off. Kieran and Marcia clearly knew what he'd done and, even if they didn't, he had already beaten Kieran half to death and clearly threatened to do the same to Marcia. Once King Renning learned of this, it was over.

If Renning was feeling merciful, Geoffrey would spend the rest of his days in a dungeon cell or in exile. If Renning wasn't feeling merciful, and Geoffrey knew he'd not be if he were in the king's place, Geoffrey's days would end at the hangman's post.

For some reason, however, Geoffrey simply didn't care which. He briefly considered what would become of Lucia. His older sister was obviously the object of King Renning's affections, but the sibling of a traitor could not hope to sit on the arm of a king. The dungeon or the noose would end Geoffrey's life, but Lucia's would be forever marred by the stigma of his actions. Geoffrey knew this very well; Duke Ludveck's family had met the same fate, and Geoffrey and Renning both had a hand in it.

After snorting at the irony, Geoffrey decided there was only one option left to him. There had been more to his earlier request that Kieran kill him then losing his will to live. If he did, in fact, die before King Renning learned of his actions, then he could not be tried and convicted for his crimes. Without a trial, there would be no real proof of what he'd done, and Lucia would be spared. Eyeing the blissfully asleep couple, Geoffrey noted that Kieran's axe had been knocked from its place during their...activities.

Pushing himself forward from the tree as much as he could, Geoffrey reached out one leg towards the axe. He managed to bring his heel down on the axe's haft and began to drag it back towards him. Awkwardly, he raised himself from his sitting position, bending his legs to shove the axe against the tree, propping it upright against the trunk. Moving as fast as he dared, Geoffrey then moved his bound wrists to the axe's blades, working them up and down until the ropes gave way and fell in pieces. With his hands free, Geoffrey quickly cut the ropes binding him to the tree and rose.

He spied Kieran and Marcia again, still asleep and in each other's arms. He dimly remembered his own comments to Kieran about Marcia that day at the castle, which suddenly seemed a lifetime ago. But, there was no laughter nor snide comment about being right. There was...nothing. Nothing left. Nothing to do, but end it.

Geoffrey leveled the axe at his neck, but then his arm caught on something. His gaze flicked toward the tree and he saw that his cloak was caught on the tree, snagged on the pointed stub of a broken branch. Worse, his cloak tore loudly with his motion.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" two voices thundered at him.

Geoffrey, knowing who it was that had spoken, tried to bring the axe to his neck but suddenly the haft lurched away in his grip. Three extra hands, Kieran's good hand and both of Marcia's, had snatched the haft and were trying to wrestle it out of Geoffrey's hand. A long, deadly match of tug-o-war ended with Kieran and Marcia managing to get the axe out of Geoffrey's hands. The despondent paladin looked as if ready to fight them for it but, suddenly, seemed to lose interest in the idea and slumped back into silent resignation. In the tense silence that followed, the two knights decided they couldn't afford to delay any longer. Geoffrey might try again, and they might not have a chance to stop him.

"Get on the brown horse!" Kieran ordered Geoffrey, aware of the irony.

Geoffrey obeyed mechanically, and Kieran used what was left of the rope to tie his hands to the saddle horn.

"Kieran, we need to hurry home! Everyone could be really worried about us!" she pointed out.

"Blast! You're right. Come on, we're leaving," Kieran demanded, grabbing reins of Geoffrey's horse and tossing them to Marcia. Marcia caught the reins in midair and mounted her Pegasus, but motioned Kieran to come to her as soon as Geoffrey was mounted upon Kieran's horse.

"Don't you dare get off this horse," Kieran ordered him.

"Y-Yes, Sir," Geoffrey obeyed.

An all but invisible nod was the only sign that Geoffrey had heard, but he obeyed nonetheless. Kieran mulled over the irony as he approached Marcia.

"Hey, Kieran… Have you ever seen him like this?" Marcia wondered quietly. "I mean, you told me he had a childhood mental illness, but does that explain him trying to…"

"I doubt it," Kieran whispered back. "Right now, Geoffrey seems to have nothing _but_ crazy thoughts in his head. Let's get a move on before we waste anymore time. We don't want to worry the others more than they have to, and we _don't_ want Geoffrey trying that again."

"Right."

With that, they resumed their journey home. Thankfully, since many of the bandits in the area had been routed the day before, all was calmer and more peaceful. Still, they chose to continue using out of the way paths and less traveled roads due to Kieran's injury and the fact that it was unknown whether or not _all_ of the bandits had been defeated. Along the way, they wondered if the cadets and squires they'd left behind fared well. They also hoped Oscar and his party were safe as well, though what they would think or say if they heard about Geoffrey's troubling behavior was something the two knights did not want to consider. However, they also wanted to consider Geoffrey's reaction to their romance even less. If he did know, it might worsen his condition. Kieran and Marcia had each other now. Ike and Elincia might have one another too. Renning and Lucia seemed to be headed in the same direction. Makalov and Astrid had been engaged for awhile as well. Oscar and Tanith, the deputy commander of Begnion's Holy Guard, appeared to be growing closer with every one of Tanith's visits to the castle. Geoffrey was alone, even the will to live seemed to be deserting him.

All the knights could do right then was focus on Geoffrey's recovery. Whether them being together made his condition worse or simply made him jealous, there was little they could do about it. Kieran and Marcia were happy to know they loved one another, but at the same time, they felt bad for Geoffrey. Or, perhaps, he'd feel better if he knew Kieran and Marcia wouldn't have discovered each other's feelings if weren't for him. It was worth a try, though only at the right moment.

Several hours of traveling later, Castle Crimea and Melior finally came into view. Kieran's group sped up, relieved to finally be home. They were also glad to have succeeded in catching Geoffrey and bringing him back before his activities and condition grew more severe. However, as soon as they stepped into Melior's main roads, however, the atmosphere went from peaceful to depressed and tense. Nearly everywhere they looked, a woman was in tears, a man was angry, or people were just plain upset, likely due to the destruction of Ike's statue and the bandits. Fortunately, no one seemed to recognize Geoffrey or even care that two Royal Knights were escorting a man in rags to the castle for whatever reason. No angry mobs appeared to be forming either. Everyone was too hung up on the loss of the statue, and perhaps the fort museum as well.

"Let's hurry to the stables. Riding with just one hand is getting irritating," Kieran spoke up.

"Yeah, I'll bet," Marcia agreed.

The pair then quickly led their steeds to the royal stables, though many of the patrolling soldiers eyed them confusedly. As Kieran browsed for the correct stalls, he realized where he'd seen the brown horse before.

"Now I remember where this brown horse is from. It's one of the wagon and training horses," he pointed out. "The squires use him to learn how to ride. No wonder Geoffrey was able to take him, that horse is so used to being ridden by strangers. And Geoffrey's horse is here too. He must have switched mounts."

Geoffrey's mount, it seemed, recognized its master because its ear perked up and it began to neigh at the cloaked paladin. Worried that the noise might attract unwanted attention, Kieran allowed Geoffrey to dismount. The paladin then walked towards his mount, silently stroking the warhorse's long head and neck. The other two knights watched Geoffrey for a long moment, wondering if he might try to mount up and escape, but Geoffrey just went on stroking the horse and the two knights let out a gasp of relief.

"I'll put the brown horse away," Marcia offered and dismounted her Pegasus. After the winged horse was settled into its own stall, Marcia approached the brown horse and took it by the reins again. Kieran, meanwhile, kept an eye on Geoffrey as he put his own horse away, wary of any move by the disturbed paladin. Just as she was about to lead the brown horse to its stall, however, Marcia noticed something sticking out of the saddle bag.

"Odd… Hey Kieran, you might want to see this!" Marcia called.

"Alright. What's up?" Kieran wondered as she searched the bag.

"Something's in the saddle bag. Did Geoffrey steal something too, I wonder?"

Marcia then dug around in the bag, only to produce the small painting of Ike and Elincia. Then, she jogged back to Kieran and showed him, and saw his expression darken.

"I should definitely say he did!" Kieran angrily replied. "That's the lovely painting Ike and Elincia had gotten done here before Ike left Melior after the Mad King's War!"

Geoffrey overheard the conversation and caught a glimpse of the painting. Tears built up in his eyes while more anger began clouding his mind.

"You will pay," he hissed, just loud enough for Kieran and Marcia to hear.

"Damn it, I'm an idiot! Geoffrey! Stop it! Get ahold of yourself!" Kieran countered, grabbing Geoffrey by his cloak again. "Marcia, the rope!"

"Right!" she replied and quickly rummaged through Kieran's saddle bag for a fresh piece of rope. Geoffrey reached for the painting, trying to snatch it away from Kieran, but Kieran held it out of the paladin's reach. Marcia quickly returned and threw the rope around Geoffrey, binding his arms and torso.

"Now calm the hell down," Kieran ordered slowly and hotly in Geoffrey's face once the rope's knot was secure.

"Fine," Geoffrey replied, again lapsing into indifference.

"I'm going to find a way to help you, but I need you to calm down and trust me. Now come on."

With that, they began towards the castle doors. Just as the trio exited the stables, however, a familiar mane of aqua green hair and shining green armor emerged from the door ahead and raced over to them.

"Oscar!" Marcia cried, relief washing over her.

"Kieran! Marcia!" Oscar replied, just as glad to see them. "Where in Crimea have you been? Everyone's been worried since the rest of your team returned without you!"

Oscar was about to say more when he noticed the bound, ragged figure. Judging from the obvious astonishment on his usually ever-smiling face, Oscar recognized Geoffrey.

"What's going on here?"

Before either of the two knights could answer, Geoffrey spoke up.

"Say, Oscar. Do you remember how you said Ike might return eventually? Well, when he gets here, ask him if he likes how I _redecorated_ his old home."

A moment of confusion passed across Oscar's face, and then realization dawned. His jaw dropped and his face took on a look of such shock that Kieran could claim his _squint_ had come undone.

"What…how… why…" Oscar stammered, still bewildered at Geoffrey's words. "What happened?"

"It's a long, though unpleasant story," Kieran replied, his irritation growing.

"I can imagine. Hey, did you break your arm, Kieran? What the heck happened to you guys?" Oscar wondered, arching one eyebrow.

"_He_ happened, that's what!" Kieran angrily bellowed as he eyed Geoffrey.

"Oh dear… I've a feeling this relates to what his majesty and Lady Lucia found out earlier. They wish to see all of us right now, actually," Oscar reported.

"Alright, then we'll meet with them immediately. Though, I kinda hoped for more time to figure out how to explain this."

"We'll think of something," Marcia piped in, lacing her fingers with Kieran's.

Before Oscar made his next response, he noticed Kieran and Marcia were holding hands.

"Ahh. Hehe, I knew you two were growing close!" he chimed.

"Not now, Oscar, let's just go," Kieran insisted.

"Ah, yes, of course."

With that, the knights made for the throne room, pulling the bound Geoffrey behind them. Kieran and Marcia, however, feared how Renning would react when he saw Geoffrey and heard their story. Or, if he already knew what had happened, would he punish them as well for not reporting it and failing to find Geoffrey before he caused any damage? Kieran very nearly gulped at the thought and attempted to shake it out of his head. He was supposed to be brave, strong, and help protect the land, not let it be torn apart, even by his own allies. As his stomach nearly twisted, Kieran paused at the doors to the throne room, followed by his comrades. Marcia sniffled, then turned to Kieran.

"Kieran, I'm…I'm a little scared," she admitted, hugging him. Kieran brought a comforting arm around her waist. "His majesty could be very angry with us for letting Geoffrey go crazy like this!"

"I know, I'm just as worried about that as you are. We'll just have to accept whatever comes our way, like Royal Knights should," Kieran replied. "But hey, at least we're doing this together!"

Marcia then looked up at him with loving eyes.

"Yes, you're right! We have to do this. If we must take the fall, we take it together."

"Okay, let's go, lovebirds," Oscar cut in playfully.

Kieran merely grumbled as the group entered the throne room and presented themselves to Renning. Just as they feared, however, the look on his face wasn't a pleasant one. He wasn't angry, though he did have a stern expression. His eyes, however, betrayed a deep sadness. What's more, Lucia was standing beside him, her arms folded and her eyes glaring at the group, particularly Geoffrey. Though she didn't speak, she was obviously deeply hurt and angered by what had happened. When Renning saw the face of the bound figure, a long sigh escaped him.

"I was afraid of this, though I desperately hoped I was mistaken…" he uttered.

"We're so sorry, your majesty," Marcia apologized, her tone turning frantic. "We didn't want things to come to this, honest."

Renning held up one hand to silence her and then glanced at the two guards flanking the door. Neither of them had spoken, not even whisperings, and their gazes hadn't strayed towards the prisoner. Perhaps they hadn't recognized Geoffrey under the cloak and grime? Either way, he wasn't taking any more chances.

"Guards, leave us," he ordered. "And whatever you have seen or heard in here is to be shared with no one."

The two sentries obeyed and left the room.

"I am well aware that you never meant for this to happen, but it did happen nonetheless," Renning continued. "I have known about Geoffrey's...issues for some time, but believed they had been resolved long ago. I cannot hold him wholly responsible for his action, but the fact remains that what he's done has made an already tense situation far worse. I'm afraid I have to sentence Geoffrey to be confined to the dungeon for the time being."

"What? But why, your majesty?" Kieran gasped.

"He has committed more than one crime, and I am highly disappointed in him. However, I'm not doing this merely to punish him," Renning explained. "I believe that given his recent behavior, it's for his own good."

Geoffrey took this without a blink, though he did turn in Kieran's direction.

"You should've just let me finish what I started back in the woods," he whispered.

"Friends don't let friends do that," Kieran whispered back.

"Do what?" Renning spoke up, then noting Kieran's reluctance to reply. "You will answer my question, that is an order."

Kieran took a _very_ deep breath and then replied.

"While we were transporting Geoffrey back to Melior, he tried to kill himself."

A long, stunned silence fell over the room. Horror and disbelief quickly replaced Lucia's anger.

"What? Geoffrey...why? You used to be so chivalrous and brave, why would you do this to yourself? Isn't finding out you've been drinking bad enough?"

"Wait, what?" Marcia spoke up.

"I'd gone through his room earlier, after I learned he was missing, hoping to find some explanation of his strange behavior lately. I found empty ale bottles stashed under his bed, dozens of them. It seems he's been drinking for quite some time now!"

"I…I don't believe this!" Kieran protested. "Is this true, your majesty?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Renning replied. "I had some of the local tavern owners questioned. None of them saw Geoffrey's face, but they did describe his clothing and it is what Geoffrey is wearing now. Drinking outside of ceremony, and to that degree, is against our Code of Conduct for a soldier to drink that much. That makes two crimes so far. The statue in Melior's main square, and the over-drinking."

"F-Four…your majesty. He burned down the fort museum and stole a painting of Ike and Elincia too…" Marcia admitted, wishing she didn't have to.

Upon hearing these words, Lucia's jaw dropped in undisguised shock and dismay. Tears built up in her eyes as she angrily eyed her brother as if she suddenly no longer knew who he was.

"Geoffrey… How dare you!" she shouted. "That building was a memorial of the past two wars, to the many brave soldiers fought and gave their lives! I can't believe you would do this! Many of those people were your pupils, your _friends_, people who looked up to you! How could you do this to their memory?"

With that, she raced out of the room, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Milady, wait! Geoffrey's—!" Kieran began, but was unable to finish before Lucia disappeared into the hall.

As Kieran sagged in disappointment, Renning then summoned the two sentries and ordered them to escort Geoffrey out of the room and towards his prison cell. He added that they should take a _discreet_ route, that his cloak and hood were to be undisturbed, that he should be taken to the secluded dungeons in the west wing, and that they were not to stop or speak to anyone during the journey. His intent was clear enough; he did not want news of Geoffrey's actions to leave the throne room if at all possible.

"Blast…" Kieran growled. "I wanted to tell her that he's…"

"Unhinged?" Renning suggested. "I had a feeling that was the problem; as I said, I was aware he had a history of such difficulties. I suppose I am partly at fault, for believing them resolved when they clearly were not. This is why he won't be treated like an actual prisoner. He'll have to be chained up to ensure that he doesn't attempt to escape or harm himself, but he'll have a comfortable bed and his usual daily meals. During this time, we'll see about finding someone who knows of this kind of illness and can treat him."

"But, I thought he'd been treated for this sort of thing before?" Kieran spoke up, puzzled.

"Yes, but the doctor who treated his childhood illness passed away last year," Renning answered glumly. "And, unfortunately, I do not know of any others who are equal to the task. In any case, until I am satisfied that Geoffrey has recovered, he will be relieved of his duties as a Royal Knight."

"But then, who will lead us?" Kieran wondered.

"That would be you, General Kieran."

"Whoa whoa, wait, me? B-But I'm not sure if I—"

Kieran was interrupted by Marcia clutching his neck and pressing her lips to his cheek again. As before, he grinned ecstatically, though he was still bemused.

"I think you can do it," she encouraged.

"And, of course, you _are_ next in line for command of the Royal Knights in any case," Renning added. "You've been Geoffrey's deputy commander since the Mad King's War ended. And, you've done excellent work in that time. I believe you are best suited for this promotion, I just wish it occurred under happier circumstances."

"Heh… On second thought, I'll give it a shot!" Kieran agreed.

"Excellent. Now we just need to find a doctor…" Renning replied. "And speaking of which, it appears you could use one too."

"Oh, yeah… I wrestled with Geoffrey and broke my wrist in the process. I think part of the arm bone might be cracked as well."

"I'll send for a royal healer later then," Renning decided. "I just wish I knew exactly what sort of doctor Geoffrey needs."

"Hmm… Hey! I got an idea!" Kieran spoke up. "Bear with me here; maybe it isn't a doctor, per se, that Geoffrey needs but someone who can remind him that there are people who still believe in him."

"Interesting," Renning commented. "Do you have someone in mind? If that wrist is any indication, doing it yourself would not be wise."

"Yeah, I do," Kieran replied, ignoring the playful taunt. "Marcia, remember that girl from that village who spoke to us? I think she called herself Erica. She could snap Geoffrey out of this!"

"True, she does admire him quite a bit, but are you sure?" Marcia replied.

"I'm positive. She may not be a doctor, but she did seem to think the same things he did, about everyone who served with Ike getting their share of the credit and she seemed pretty sharp too. Maybe she'll have better luck than we did."

"Ah, yes, good point. Your majesty—"

"Yes, that just might work," Renning agreed. "I'd like her brought here as soon as possible, if she's willing to help."

"Understood," Kieran replied and turned to Marcia.

"I'll go get her. I could do it the fastest," Marcia offered.

"Well then, as my first duty as general, I'll say this. Marcia, head out there as soon as you can!" Kieran ordered with a smile.

"Yes Sir, General Kieran!" Marcia happily saluted.

"Oh joy…ordered around by Kieran even more now…" Oscar grumbled.

"Hehehe… That's General Kieran to you, squinty eyes!" Kieran playfully retorted. Oscar merely sighed.

"Well, anyway, there's some good news at last," Renning spoke up. "We finally have news about Ike and Elincia."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" three voices exclaimed deafeningly.

"Please, my ears were not made to take this kind of abuse. But, yes. A messenger reported to me recently that he heard both Ike and Elincia were seen together in Altarais. They were apparently heading for the capital of the country they landed in, which is called Talgria, along with a group of warriors. I've sent word of this to Empress Sanaki in Begnion, as she requested beforehand that I keep her apprised on this matter."

"Oh, that's wonderful, your majesty!" Oscar exclaimed.

"You bet it is!" Marcia agreed, more than delighted to hear some good news for a change.

"Yeah. That is quite a miracle, her finding Ike that fast!" Kieran agreed.

"Indeed. Once I hear from Sanaki again, I'm going to make a message out to Ike and my niece. Loathe though I am to risk her happiness, I simply cannot keep these events a secret from Elincia. Besides, perhaps knowing that she and Ike are helping another continent would get the message across that we need to help our continent as well."

"Understandable, your majesty. And I agree. May we go now?" Oscar inquired.

"Yes, you all are dismissed."

With that, the trio left the throne room. Kieran turned to Marcia afterwards.

"That was pretty clever, thinking of contacting Erica," she admitted, a mischievous grin on her face.

"It's a long shot, but I think it'll work," Kieran replied. "There's even a double-play. She seems close to his age, and attractive enough, and I think it's no secret Geoffrey needs some companionship besides his chivalric code and his horse. Maybe they'll fall for each other."

Marcia looked impressed.

"And, here I was thinking you carving yourself like a turkey was an indication of your brain power."

"Well, accidents happen to even the best of us...HEY!"

"Tee, hee, hee."

"Ha ha, very funny. I'll remember this next time you're up for promotion."

"Wow, you _are_ getting into this General stuff."

"Yeah, but I hope I eventually get to give the job back to Geoffrey."

At this, Marcia looked puzzled. Kieran gave her a wry smile, the sort that always made her blush.

"I _do_ want to be Crimea's General, but I want to be because I've earned it, not because my boss went cuckoo and the king had nobody else to replace him with."

Marcia gave him a flirty smile in turn and pecked him on the cheek.

"I think you've already earned it," she replied. "Well, even if Geoffrey does get reinstated, I think what you say will happen. I have faith in you."

"Thanks, that means a lot. Hey, you're going to be very careful out there, right? Bandits might still be lurking in places," Kieran pointed out.

"Of course I will. Now, I'll be seeing you later," Marcia promised with a smile and gave him a passionate kiss goodbye.

"Yeah…later…" Kieran uttered, waving to her as she raced away, another grin on his face. _You know, I wonder who should replace me as deputy commander_, he thought as he strolled in the other direction. _I wouldn't mind either Marcia or Oscar. Marcia, well, she's amazing for someone who hasn't been with us for very long yet. I could order around Oscar more than anyone else if I picked him, which would be absolutely awesome. Ah well, I guess I'll work it out with them later when Marcia gets back. What matters most to me right now is that the girl of my dreams loves me! Huzzah!_

For the next hour, Geoffrey sat chained to the wall inside his dungeon cell. For some time after Kieran had foiled his suicide attempt, Geoffrey had just felt...numb. It was not that he could no longer feel anything, but that there was nothing _left_ for him to feel. He had long since stopped feeling the pride and honor of his knighthood, his anger towards Ike had been spent and even the idea of ending his own life no longer enticed him. But, then, he saw Lucia's face when she learned of what he'd done. And, he _felt_ all the pain and bitterness all over again. It was as if seeing that had shattered something in his mind, some wall he had erected between his mind and the reality of what was happening to him. Now, it had all come crashing down on him at once that he'd really lost everything and, rightfully so.

No wonder people detested him now, he detested himself as well. He had worked very long and exceedingly hard to be chivalrous, brave and honorable and yet, when it counted most, he had crumbled. He no longer cared about how the people obsessed over Ike, they had every right to dislike him. They had every right to think Ike or someone else should replace him. Geoffrey, although his chains were long enough to allow him to roam the entire cell, remained sitting against the wall and endlessly stared at the stone floor, ignoring his more comfortable bed and the meal that had been brought to him several minutes earlier. Despite being provided with a wash basin and a set of clean clothes, his hair was still dirty and very unruly, and he was still wearing the ragged clothes he'd kept hidden in the stables. For a long, long time, Geoffrey just sat there thinking, recalling Lucia, Elincia, Renning, his time as a squire, the day of his promotion to General, the knights who'd served with him and even how Ike and Elincia might be doing in Altarais, and forming regrets all the while. An unknowable time later, footsteps echoed through the dungeon hall and two figures appeared before Geoffrey. One was a castle soldier while the other was a girl he had never seen before…and yet looked strangely familiar. Her golden brown hair and green eyes were striking, as was her simple blue dress. Geoffrey was especially taken by her yellow rose hairclip.

"Geoffrey, you have a visitor," the soldier reported, then turning to the girl and whispering. "Be careful, he's dangerous."

Geoffrey remained silent, indifferent to the remark and the visitor, as the cell door was unlocked and the girl stepped inside. The soldier remained posted outside after re-locking the door, likely to stand guard.

"It's been a long time since I last saw you," the girl began. "I had hoped I'd have the chance to do it again, but this not what I had in mind."

Geoffrey regarded her with a raised eyebrow, to which the girl replied with a small smile.

"Well, I saw you, but I doubt you saw me," the girl continued. "It was at the memorial service, following the Mad King's War. If I remember right, you read the eulogy for the knights that died defending Riven Bridge and Melior, and those who'd died escorting Princess Elincia to Gallia. My brothers were among them."

"Oh, them," Geoffrey recalled, now aware of why this girl he'd never met seemed so familiar. "Gregory and Shawn. I remember them, they were good men and it was honor to have them under my command."

"That went both ways," the girl replied. "They wrote to me every chance they got, they were very proud to serve under such a noble warrior."

"Maybe I was noble in the past, but that's changed now… I don't deserve to be anyone's hero. I can see why everyone thinks Ike should replace me."

The girl did not seem deterred. In fact, she seated herself on the floor next to Geoffrey; a rather bold move, considering the guard's warning.

"I heard the same things you did, people hung up on Ike leaving, but I never did agree with it," the girl replied, noting Geoffrey's skeptical expression with a hint in displeasure. "There are plenty of others who deserve a share of the credit, people like my brothers."

Geoffrey averted his gaze, feeling a fresh wave of disgust at himself.

"I know what you're going through, more so than you might think," the girl went on. "My brothers were all I really had, after our parents died, and I lost both of them in a week. I know what despair and anger can drive a person to do."

To underscore her point, she drew back one sleeve to reveal three scars across her wrist. The sort of scars that came from trying to, literally, cut one's life short. Something in that realization struck Geoffrey, and not only because he'd tried the same thing not long ago. He met the girl's gaze again, this time studying her face. Despite her delicate looks, he could see honesty and sheer iron in her gaze, as if she'd taken some of the worst blows fate could dish out and came away standing. Which, he reflected, was probably the case if her story was true.

"How _did_ you deal with it?" he wondered, unable to will away his curiosity. "Losing your brothers, that is?"

A hint of shudder passed through the girl's lithe body, as if remembering scared her, but she shook it off and replied.

"I...had to be reminded that there were others I could turn to besides my brothers," she answered cryptically. "It was hard, admitting that I needed help, but I did find out that what I was going through wasn't as hopeless as I thought. Let me do the same for you."

"Nothing can be helped," Geoffrey countered, staring at the floor again. "I've ruined my life…"

"No, that's not true," the girl protested firmly. "Listen, I learned a lot about you from my brothers' letters. They spoke often about you, how you were an excellent general and one of the noblest warriors they'd ever seen. That caught my eye, and I did what I could to learn more about you. Ever since then, you've always been a hero to me, Geoffrey. And you always will be. That's why I don't want the man my brothers and I admired to end like...this. I believe I can help you, but I can't do that if you shut me out."

"You're worth saving," Geoffrey countered, wondering at his choice of words, "I'm not."

"Sir Kieran and Ladies Lucia and Marcia would disagree, and so do I," she contradicted. "You remember how my brothers didn't "fit in" with the others? Since they came from a poor family and didn't even have a father to sponsor them? When it got to them, they said you told them that a large part of being a Royal Knight is never giving up. I hold you to your own words."

"I'm no longer a Royal Knight."

"But you can be one again and to me, you're still one at heart! If you're willing to give me a chance, I can prove this to you!"

Geoffrey's head throbbed with irritation. He was impressed by the girl's determination, but he just wanted to be left alone. Being reminded of what he used to be, especially to admiring fellow knights like the girl's brothers, had rubbed salt in his wounds. But, for some reason, he didn't want to send her away. The idea that he could again be the man he once was seemed impossible...yet, he still longed for it.

"I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"Well, the beginning works for me," the girl replied lightly. "And, I think I know where that is."

"…Alright then," Geoffrey finally agreed, looking up at the girl. "Go ahead."

"Thank you. I was also told that the marriage between you and Queen Elincia was arranged by King Renning. I think that is where this all began."

"Maybe."

"But, sometime later, Elincia left because she was in love with Sir Ike, rather than you. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Geoffrey gnashed his teeth at the mention of Ike's name. "He'd left Crimea just after hearing the news. After he left, the Greil Mercenaries broke up and banditry went off the charts."

"Him leaving hurt a lot of people, even if his reasons were understandable."

Some part of Geoffrey felt truth in this, but he carried on as if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Elincia missed him so badly that...that I decided to help her get to Altarais so she could find him."

"If Ike is as much a fiend as you make him out to be, then why did you let Elincia go after him?"

"Because I would have been terrible not to. I simply couldn't force her to stay with me and she would have only been even more miserable if I had. At the time, I didn't realize how Ike's leaving had affected Crimea. That is to say, the increase in bandit activity, the breakup of the Greil Mercenaries, and the citizenry saying he's superior to me. It wasn't until after this that people began pitying me either."

"So, you helped Elincia to go after him because you felt it was the right thing to do?"

At this, Geoffrey snorted in disgust.

"And, it all just...blew up in my face," he growled.

"It happens," the girl replied, feelingly. "My brothers joining the knights? That was my idea. I talked them into it and found them a sponsor."

For a long moment, Geoffrey did not know what to say. He'd been wondering why the girl was so eager to help him when her brothers had died on his watch. Now, he had his answer. In fact, he had a feeling this admission had a lot to do with her attempt to kill herself.

"Elincia's main reason for leaving was Ike, but wasn't there more to it than that?"

"No. Though she never did want to be queen. She believed very much in peace between the races, but she just wasn't a stateswoman. She was too gentle, too trusting."

"She arranged for Renning to be her successor, why?"

"She didn't tell me, but I think it was because she believed he was the best candidate. He believed in bringing the beorc and laguz together and he's always been a good statesman. Not to mention he was named heir to the throne before she was born."

"So, if Elincia believed she wasn't fit to rule, would you say her abdicating the throne and leaving was for the best?"

"I don't know. I hope it works out like she wanted, but I just don't know."

"You say everyone has been pitying you since Elincia left. What does 'pity' mean to you?"

"It means they pretend to feel sorry for me and think it's too bad that I'm missing out. It shows how much they truly don't give a damn how I feel."

"So, were you 'pitying' my brothers when they felt they didn't fit in with the knights? Or, 'pitying' Count Bastian when he lost Lady Lucia?"

"No. I helped your brothers because I knew they were fine knights, and I helped Bastian because he was friend. I wasn't 'pitying' them."

"So, what were Sir Kieran, Sir Oscar and Lady Marcia doing when they told you that you needed to get over Elincia leaving?"

For a long moment, Geoffrey wasn't sure what to say. He remembered those talks with the Lakota brothers, when some of the other knights' taunts got to them. He also remembered talking with Bastian, when the loquacious Count had been in his slump. Were Kieran, Marcia and Oscar trying to the same for him that he'd done for Bastian and the Lakota brothers? Had Kieran and Marcia done that again when they stopped him from trying to kill himself?

"Stumped you back there, didn't I?" the girl quipped. "Moving on… Sir Oscar once told you that time heals, what does that mean to you?"

"It basically means what it says. Over time, you'll simply get over it."

"And everyone was expecting you to, as well. I believe they didn't quite understand exactly how you felt. They likely couldn't, since they hadn't been through it themselves. I believe this is why your melancholy got the best of you, which is something that someone can't simply 'get over.' And that's why I'm here, even though I can't guarantee I can succeed in helping you."

"No, they didn't understand. No one did."

"I've always considered that phrase 'time heals' to be misunderstood by everyone, present company included. It wasn't time going by that healed me, it was I _did_ with that time that healed me. And speaking of time, I'm afraid I have to leave you very soon, but I did get permission to remain in the castle until you're well again. I'll see you again tomorrow morning at eight bells. And again at the same time the day after that and as many times as you think are needed, alright?"

"Doesn't matter to me."

The girl merely sighed, as if she'd been expecting this. Or, as if she remembered herself in such a state not so long ago. As she rose, she removed a sheath of papers from a satchel at her waist.

"Think of this as a...reading assignment, some homework before my next visit," she informed him. "These are the letters my brothers wrote to me while they were under your command. It might do you some good to know what they thought of you, and what they'd still think of you if there were still alive."

The girl set the stack of letters on the bed, almost reluctantly.

"Please be careful with them," she insisted, a quaver in her normally confident voice. "They're...all I have left of my brothers."

Again, the gesture struck Geoffrey. But, he found himself nodding in reply. As she moved to exit the cell, he called out to her.

"I never got your name."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about that. My name's Erica."

"Erica? Kieran and Marcia mentioned you when they...found me."

"They were also the ones who told me you needed my help. And I couldn't refuse."

"I still say you're wasting your time. But, since I doubt you'd give up that easily, I'll see you tomorrow at eight bells."

Erica merely sighed, seeing herself in Geoffrey as she exited his cell. Though she said she was not as confident she could help as she'd let on, she chose to keep trying until he was back to his normal self. She admired him too much not to and, though she hadn't mentioned it, Geoffrey had played a role in her own recovery after losing her family. That alone was enough that she would never deny that he's a hero who deserves respect. Geoffrey, after a moment's hesitation, took the stack of letters and began to read them.

"I'd almost forgotten what terrible handwriting these two had," he muttered to himself.

Still, the letters did say quite a lot about how much the two brothers had looked up to him and how much his encouragement had meant to them when they felt they didn't belong in the knights. Being reminded of what he used to be like pained him but, at the same time, he found himself wondering. Erica seemed convinced he could be that man again. Was that possible? He didn't know, but he kept on reading and wondering whether or not she would, in fact, return.

Erica returned the next morning, right on schedule, and Geoffrey found himself less displeased at her presence this time. Again, she left when her time was up and returned the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that as well.

Over the course of a few weeks, Erica continued to return to Geoffrey's cell. They would talk about Geoffrey's thought on what she'd said, her brothers and even the events that led to Geoffrey's change in character. At times, she'd ask questions, some gentle and some probing, about his feelings, Renning, Elincia, and even Ike. It was a long process, and Erica was obviously wary of causing Geoffrey to relapse, but, over time, he began to be more open-minded about his answers and his talk became less and less gloomy. Sometimes, the conversation strayed to more positive, everyday topics, which even resulted in the pair laughing together on a few occasions. Once in awhile, Renning, Kieran, and Lucia came down to visit and check on Geoffrey and they noticed his disposition gradually improving. Though Erica was hardly a doctor, her tactics were working somehow. Somewhere along the way, her insights and unwavering faith that Geoffrey could recover had made an impact and Geoffrey began to believe that he could, one day, be well again.

For Kieran, those same weeks had been quite hectic. He and Marcia had decided to keep their love private until things were calmer and they'd succeeded...for all of five minutes. Somehow, the story of their love had spread. Kieran suspected Oscar, but was too busy, and too happy, to take the green haired knight to task. Though he denied that he'd ever be as great a general as Geoffrey, Kieran worked to be at his best with his beloved Marcia by his side. She insisted that Oscar be the temporary deputy commander, but Kieran treated both as if they shared the rank. Anyone could tell that he enjoyed being above Oscar, which he rubbed in quite often, and having the girl he loved aid him in his duties. The only thing left was to find the perfect engagement ring someday.

One morning, Erica returned to visit Geoffrey once more and was pleased to see him looking out the window of his cell instead of moping on the floor like he used to. When he turned around to greet her, a smile formed on his face. This had been a great change from his past behavior and Erica could easily tell that Geoffrey's wounds were healing at last, and perhaps that he was even growing fond of her. In fact, as she gazed upon him for the first time that day, she felt her cheeks turn a rosy pink when he approached her. Both could easily tell that even when Geoffrey was released, they desired to meet again.

"I believe we should meet again after I'm released," he suggested. "Preferably somewhere more...pleasant."

"I'd like that," Erica replied with a smile, wishing her brothers could be here to see this...and then realizing they'd never let her hear the end of it. "I'd like that very much."


	8. The Secret Sword: Part 1

**Author's Note: Hello, readers! This story is the direct sequel to Ashes of War. I'd recommend that you read that first before beginning this story, if you haven't already. Also, as a little warning, Mia makes a small sexual reference towards the end of this part of the story. Enjoy!**

The Secret Sword

Part 1: Greil's Message

_Ike shrugged and examined the shield more closely. It was a handsome piece and well made. The bottom portion was colored a deep red, much like Ike's cape, while the upper portion was blue and featured three swords in a spread a fan-like pattern. The sword on the left had a golden blade while the one on the right had a white one. They were likely Ragnell and its counterpart, Alondite, which had been wielded by the Black Knight. However, the one in the middle was a sword Ike didn't recognize._

_ "What's this one?" he wondered, pointing._

_ "That's Ettard," Jerec replied, sounding surprised that Ike didn't already know that. "It was your father's personal weapon back when he was General Gawain. He...didn't tell you about it?"_

_ Ike shook his head._

_ "No. Then again, my father never told me about a lot of things."_

_ "That's odd. My father told me it was one of the finest blades he'd ever seen. It was one-of-a-kind, as far as I know, and practically unbreakable and it could carve through a boulder like it was warm butter. I know Gawain took it with him when he left Daein."_

That same conversation had been ringing through Ike's head for the past few weeks, and did so once again that morning as he awoke to the bright sunlight shining through his window. Following the battle against Arius and the wolf tribe, Ike had returned to the fort of the Greil Mercenaries, which he had commanded for...how long was it? With the Mad King's War, the whirlwind of events during and after the conflict in which Ike had to learn how to command the company, it almost seemed like a lifetime ago that the mantle of leadership had unexpectedly landed upon his shoulders. Since then, Ike had done his utmost to honor his father's wish that he lead the company wisely and well, and Ike could only hope that he'd succeeded thus far. His latest brush with death at the hands of the self-proclaimed wolf king had left him out of action, restricted to the most minimal of duties while his body replenished the blood it had lost. Rhys had explained that the blood loss would cause feelings of exhaustion and acute dizziness, both of which had caused Ike some embarrassment around the fort, but both had been occurring less and less and the company's healer seemed confident that Ike would be back to his old self within the week.

And, a good thing too; Ike was about ready to go stir-crazy.

He sat up in his bed, rubbed his eyes, and stared intensely at the shield that sat upon a display rack in his bedroom , mulling over what he'd learned from his onetime antagonist, Jerec. When Ike's father, Greil, was killed during the Mad King's War, he took his secrets with him and left Ike to lead his mercenary company with a heart heavy with grief and a mind abuzz with unanswered questions. It wasn't until much later that the young commander learned at least a few of these secrets, how Greil had gone berserk after touching the accursed Lehran's Medallion, and how that madness forced him to slay Ike's mother, Elena. Another aspect of Greil's secret past that Ike learned of was that Greil had once been known as General Gawain, one of Daein's Four Riders. At times, this troubled Ike. Granted, with his newfound responsibilities, he'd rarely had time to think about it much...until he suddenly found himself stuck in the fort with nothing to do while he recovered. Questions about what his father had been like as a younger man, what sort of life he'd had in Daein, how he had become General Gawain, whether there might be family members in Daein that Ike never knew he had, and whether or not any had lived through the war, teased at his mind with growing insistence. On the one hand, he still wanted to learn more about his late father. On the other, he sometimes found himself afraid of what he might discover.

Elena's death had been a terrible tragedy, but it had also been an accident. However, were there other crimes that Greil might have committed, only on purpose?

Despite these myriad questions and doubts, Ike had always called himself a Crimean and would never hesitate to raise his blade in Crimea's name once again. Not only for all of the friends he'd made and all of the people who had served under him during the war, but for the woman who'd stolen his heart as well.

The emerald haired angel, Queen Elincia Ridell Crimea.

Though Elincia permeated his thoughts just as much as his grim, haunting questions about his father's past and his conversation with Jerec had, Ike still couldn't believe there was another of his father's secrets that he hadn't discovered yet. It was the location of Greil's old personal blade, the sword called Ettard, whose image was inscribed on the shield along with two other blades. These were Ragnell and Alondite, twin swords that only differed in color. Both were reputed to be blessed by the Goddess Ashera, which made their blades flawless and unbreakable, as well as allowing them to unleash energy blasts at distant foes. Ike had used Ragnell during the Mad King's War, vanquishing both the Black Knight and Mad King Ashnard. He had given Ragnell to the Begnion Empire after the war had ended, but he missed having a blade that would never break in the middle of a battle, something which happened to Ike _very_ frequently, and always at terribly inconvenient times. Thus, when Jerec told him about Ettard, his interest was piqued. If he found this sword, he could wield it in his father's name and truly be the warrior he desired to become. With some difficulty, Ike rose from his bed. As often happened since his near-miss, the room began to spin for a moment but Ike simply snatched a hold of one of his bedposts until it passed.

After grunting in frustration, he turned to gaze at the shield once more, wondering if Ettard was truly as wondrous a blade as Jerec seemed to believe. Deciding it was high time he found out, Ike slipped on his boots and exited the room. He was not two steps out the door, however, when he very nearly bumped into Titania, who was already dressed and standing in the hall. In fact, Ike suddenly found himself wondering if she'd been watching his door to make sure he stayed put.

"Ike!" the red-haired paladin exclaimed. "What are you doing out here? Rhys hasn't given you permission to wander around alone yet!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but honestly, I feel perfectly fine," Ike insisted. "I know I was lucky to survive that fight with Arius, but it's been weeks since that battle ended."

"That's true, but we only want to make sure you don't hurt yourself even more while you're recovering. Rhys did warn you that you'd get tired a lot more easily because of the blood loss and it'd be easy for you to hurt yourself because of those dizzy spells."

"Oh, don't worry, that's not going to happen. If it did, Elincia would never let me hear the end of it."

"Heh, good point. So, why _are_ you out here?"

"Looking for you, actually. I want everyone to gather in the mess hall for a meeting. And no, it has nothing to do with mercenary work, believe it or not."

"Ah, it's about that sword, isn't it? Ettard, right?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm still not sure if Rhys or Mist will approve of this, but I'll let everyone know."

"Thanks. This is very important to me, you know. It was probably important to my father as well."

"I understand, and I agree. So don't worry, alright?"

"Of course."

Ike had been about to follow, but then returned to his room. He was expecting that Rhys and Mist would order him to sit out the search, but Ike would not have that. Despite the persistent dizzy spells, he really did feel fine and, more importantly, finding Ettard was something that he wanted to do. Perhaps it was a further step in honoring his father's legacy and final wish, it might have been to affirm that he was truly fit for the task of leading the Greil Mercenaries, or maybe he was just stir crazy. Whatever the reason, Ike was not going to sit idly by any longer. With slow, careful motions, conscious of the sudden attacks of exhaustion his blood loss sometimes caused, he donned his cape, headband, belt, boots, and other equipment. He considered taking a sword along too, but decided against it when he realized that Rhys would surely object. Although the group could very well run into bandits while searching for Ettard, Ike was more than confident that his comrades would protect him. Shinon might be reluctant to do so at first, but Titania would order him to. Besides, though Ike was loathe to admit it, he doubted he'd be much good in a fight so long as his vision could start spinning or his sword suddenly seem too heavy to lift. Still, if he could give orders, that might be enough.

Before leaving his room, Ike picked up the shield Jerec had given him and gazed upon it one more time. He didn't use shields in battle, but as Jerec had said, it made a fine trophy. And hopefully, the small image of Ettard on its face would be enough to help the mercenaries correctly identify the blade when they found it. He set it back in place and headed out the door.

By the time Ike reached the mess hall for breakfast, Mist and Oscar were already there cooking up a storm. Oscar was the Greil Mercenaries' main cook while Mist helped him with various chores. She sometimes took over the cooking duties when things were busy and, remarkably, she was very good at it. Mist greeted her brother as he sat down at the table.

"Morning, Ike! Did Rhys give you permission to walk around without supervision yet?"

"No, but seriously, this is a bit much. I totally feel fine. I don't feel tired so easily anymore and the dizzy spells are happening less and less often. I promise though that I won't do anymore mercenary work until Rhys says I can, and I won't try anything crazy either."

Mist was silent for a moment, and Ike could tell she was worried despite her usual cheerfulness. Not that Ike could blame his sister; if it had been her that had nearly bled to death on that mountain, he wouldn't be acting any differently. A smile, one of empathy, found its way to Ike's face and, despite it requiring far more effort than usual, he brought up a hand and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

"Don't worry, if I've got you to watch my back, then I'll be fine," he reassured.

"As if you'd last a minute without me," Mist retorted playfully. "Anyway, fine, but I don't know if Rhys will agree."

"He'll just have to have more confidence in me. Now how about breakfast?"

"It's almost done. And don't worry, Oscar and I made plenty, as usual," Mist assured with a smile. "Cause we know how you are when it comes to food."

"Heh, I'd hope so. It's been ages since I've had a real meal."

"Two weeks is not 'ages,' so don't exaggerate," Mist countered, rolling her eyes. "I swear, you eat more in one sitting than I do in a week."

"Now who's exaggerating?"

"Whoever that is, it's not me."

Ike just snickered and rolled his eyes while Mist pasted on an angelic grin that belied her penchant for mischief. Ike's large appetite was no secret to the Greil Mercenaries, nor to many of the people they had met during the Mad King's War. In fact, besides spending time with Elincia and doing mercenary work, Ike's passion in life was food. At times, he was known to put away enough food for three fully grown men in one sitting and his table manners, or, rather, the lack thereof, were equally impressive. Since Ike was always busy training and doing mercenary work, he always remained fit and muscular no matter how much he ate; though more than a few were of the opinion that Ike, if he didn't exercise so much, would be the size of a barge. Mist was one such person, which probably explained the "cuisine" Ike had had to put up with while he was bedridden. Rhys and Mist had put him on a stringent diet of fruits, grains and lean meats, and had made sure that he cut back on how much he ate so he wouldn't gain any unneeded weight. Ike had been a bit incensed by this, especially since, to his eyes, the "meat" barely merited the label, but still, Ike knew he'd rather give up his sword than be too overweight to fight. Technically, Ike was "overweight" anyway, for his muscle heavy frame was more than enough to strain chairs and beds, but those muscles lent him the sort of strength one would expect from a berserker. And besides that, Elincia liked his muscles, which was all the more reason for him to agree to Rhys's diet plan.

As often happened, that musing caused Ike's mind to wander. The gentle queen of Crimea was never far from Ike's thoughts these days, especially after he finally realized how much he loved her. It had been a while since he'd seen her last, given that he couldn't leave the fort until he had recovered and that she was busy governing her kingdom. This was still another reason Ike wanted Rhys to be a bit less controlling over where and how far Ike could go. Ike had begun imagining what it would be like if he and Elincia could see each other without so many intervening complications to deal with. Being somewhere, in fact, _anywhere_, besides the castle would certainly be appealing. A pastoral beach, a meadow covered in wildflowers or even here in the fort, with its Spartan decor and familial charm. He began to ponder what it would be like to have Elincia in his arms while he was shirtless and she was wearing, well, less than usual. At that moment, Titania walked into the room. She almost immediately noticed the distant look in Ike's eyes and the lazy smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. She chuckled and folded her arms, a knowing look crossing her features.

"Ike, are you daydreaming about Elincia again?" she inquired, breaking her commander out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh! Uh, yes…I mean no! I mean—Dang it!" Ike groused in embarrassment. "I don't know how to answer that! Besides, I bet you daydreamed about my father back in the day."

"Well, yeah, I guess I did," Titania replied with a nostalgic smile. Though she knew Greil was married, Titania once held affections for him which went beyond the staunch friendship she'd shown him after Elena had died. "Anyway, everyone will be here soon. I take it that breakfast is about ready as well?"

"Yeah. And thanks."

Moments later, Oscar and Mist came out of the kitchen with platters of eggs, rice, smoked ham, bacon, warm biscuits, and butter, which they arranged on the table. Mia, Boyd, and Rolf entered the mess hall just as Ike was loading his plate with a little of everything. Well, "a little" by his standards; anybody else would say that Ike was about to sorely test the strength of his belt. Mist had been right. She and Oscar did prepare plenty of food, perhaps more than even Ike could stomach. Still, who was he to complain? Leftovers were a common enough occurrence with the Greil Mercenaries and Oscar often found ways to make even these into a remarkable meal. Ike could, and probably would, always come back for it later. Plus, Oscar's cooking was practically famous in Crimea by now after the group had fought alongside so many Crimean soldiers. Oscar sometimes helped prepare meals for them, and gossip about the green haired knight's cooking skills had gotten around. In fact, Ike wasn't sure he'd ever meet a chef who could satisfy his love of food better than Oscar. Well, except maybe Elincia. She was already a good cook in her own right as well, but if she loved Ike as much as she claimed, the young queen of Crimea would never stop sharpening her culinary skills.

"Ike!" a familiar, yet rather irritating voice blurted minutes later, causing Ike to barely miss choking on a bite of egg. He coughed a few times until his breath came normally, if a bit heavily. Ike turned and, to his displeasure, met the face of Rhys. The healer's sickly face was pinched with worry as he noted the copious meal Ike had heaped onto his plate.

"Dang it, Rhys! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Ike fumed.

"I apologize, Commander," Rhys replied. "Roaming the fort by yourself is one thing, but I never officially let you go off that diet. And certainly not by _this_ much!"

"Aw Rhys, seriously… You know I haven't had a meal like this in ages," Ike complained. "And that lean meat? I've seen walnuts with more meat on them than that. And I feel perfectly fine! I don't mind staying off the field for the time being, but the rest is just overkill."

Rhys' features, always wan from his frail health and perpetual worry, became drawn and he heaved a sigh before continuing.

"Ike… Look, I understand that you want to get back on the field. In fact, we could use your help out there, but I can't help it. None of us can help worrying about you. Heck, even Shinon said 'I swear he's going to die for real if someone doesn't keep an eye on him.' You've just had so many brushes with death since you took command, and we worry you won't be so lucky next time."

Ike's expression softened, but he wasn't going to relent on this point.

"I understand. In fact, I'd probably feel the same way if I was in your position or if it had been Mist that got mauled like that. But I _promise_ that I won't try anything funny nor do any mercenary work until you give me permission. Just let me walk around by myself and eat normally again… Please? I'd be getting the exercise I need to work off the food anyway."

"Well, alright. I suppose that's fair. Just so long as you don't go too far from the fort."

"It's a deal."

With that, Ike continued eating, happily gobbling down his food at a speed that made several onlookers cringe. By that time, Shinon and Gatrie had finally entered the room. As usual, Shinon wore his I-still-don't-know-why-that-wimp-is-in-command expression while Gatrie happily took a plate of breakfast. Shinon had always despised Ike, but he remained in the company due to his loyalty to Greil as well as his liking for the rest of the group. Why Shinon hated him so, Ike wasn't sure. He did know that the sniper thought he was pathetic, but Ike didn't care so long as he could rely on Shinon's archery skills when they were needed. After Shinon fixed himself a plate, he approached the table, but didn't sit down.

"This meeting's about that sword, isn't it?" he surmised, disinterested as always.

"It is," Ike confirmed. "I don't intend to search for it by myself, after all. If we manage to find it, it will likely be very useful to us."

"Seriously? You want to have a meeting about going on some dumb treasure hunt for a sword?"

"It belonged to Commander Greil, Shinon. Don't you ever forget that," Titania put in sternly.

"Doesn't matter. We fight bandits, not dig up rusty old weapons."

"Shinon, sit. _Now_," Titania ordered, pointing to an empty chair next to her.

Shinon grumbled as he reluctantly obeyed. Ike was always glad he had Titania to keep the surly sniper in line.

"Shinon does have a point though, Ike," Soren added after swallowing some rice. "When we find the blade, if we find it, it probably will be rusted from age."

"Yeah, but if we can find a good blacksmith, that won't be a problem," Ike reminded him. "Now, I called this meeting so we can figure out where to begin looking. Titania, you spent time with my father when I was little, didn't you? Did you ever see Ettard?"

"Yes, but I don't really remember what it looked like. It's been so long," Titania admitted. "I do remember that it was huge though. It was a two-handed sword that was nearly as long as Mist is tall."

"Oh wow!" Mist commented, clearly impressed. "Do you think you'd be able to wield something like that, Ike?"

"I hope so," Ike replied between mouthfuls, looking all the more eager to do so, and then turned his attention back to Titania. "My father didn't tell you anything about what he did with the sword after my mother died, did he?"

"No, not at all. I wish he had, though. It seemed obvious to me that he wanted you to inherit it someday."

"Alright. You didn't see him pack anything when we were leaving the fort during the war, right? Maybe something large which could've been Ettard and that he might've hidden somewhere along the way to Gallia?"

"Sorry, no. Besides, the Daein army didn't come to loot the fort, remember?"

"They were after your _girlfriend_," Mist piped in, snickering at Ike's blush.

"True," Titania put in, snickering as well. "Still, I doubt the Daein army would've spent time tearing up the fort when they clearly saw that we and Princess Elincia were no longer here. And, Commander Greil was always very foresighted. Wherever he did hide the sword, I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there."

Ike paused to chew on what Titania had told him, as well as his second portion of breakfast. He was somewhat disappointed that Titania didn't know more but, by now, he knew better than to rely on easy answers. He'd made up his mind to find Ettard, the only question was how to do it.

"I see. Maybe he left me some sort of clue or message behind somewhere then…"

"Yeah, but where, I wonder?" Oscar put in.

"And if he did, you'd think after how long we've been using this fort, we'd have found it by now," Boyd added. "Man, why couldn't Commander Greil just _tell_ somebody where he hid the sword…"

"Oh, Boyd, don't be such a party pooper!" Mia protested playfully. "Going on a scavenger hunt for a hidden sword sounds like fun!"

"Yeah, I agree!" Mist added. "Wouldn't you say so, Rolf?"

"Eh, I'm not sure. I think I'd rather enjoy shooting arrows into bandits more than looking for stuff," Rolf replied with a shrug.

"Ohhh…" Mist grumbled, folding her arms.

The mercenaries spent nearly a half hour in conference, mulling over potential ideas as they continued their meal. Oscar seemed to think that the clue Ike sought might still be in the fort, since Greil had built the place. Perhaps Greil had included some hidden room or compartment in which to hide such secrets? Titania thought that, perhaps, Greil might've hidden such a clue in a place important to him, or, perhaps, to Elena, Ike or Mist, but the places she could think of were few and almost seemed too obvious. Mist suggested traveling to Gallia to ask Caineghis, who might know more about their late, secretive father, and to see if the clue might be hidden along the path between Crimea and Gallia. Rhys voiced the idea of consulting Jerec. The hot-blooded halberdier's father, General Bryce, had been a close friend of Greil and, if he'd left behind something that could tell them about Greil, a diary, maybe, then it might point them in the right direction. Soren simply answered "I'm thinking," and the others offered no suggestions.

Over a third portion of breakfast, Ike considered what he'd heard. In truth, none of the ideas sounded all that promising. Traveling all the way to Daein to see if Jerec could find some clue amongst his late father's personal effects was hardly an appealing notion. Aside from Daein's extra cold winters, the locals would _not_ be happy to see him; and, on top of all that, there was no guarantee they'd find anything useful. Gallia was friendlier territory, since the Greil Mercenaries were on good terms with the beast tribe, but the jungles of Gallia were vast and easy to get lost in. If Greil had hidden Ettard in there, Ike might as well try to find a diamond buried in the Grann Desert. Ike tried to think of places his father had known, places he'd hide something as important as Ettard, but, like Titania, he didn't come up with much.

It was rather sad, now that he really thought about it, but he simply didn't know his father well enough to guess at the man's thoughts. As Ike had learned, Greil kept a lot of secrets and took at least a few of them to his grave, and Ike found himself wondering if Ettard's location would be amongst those secrets lost to him. He shook that thought off almost immediately; he would find Ettard, it might just take longer than he thought.

"This might take a while," he admitted aloud.

"What? Finding Ettard or cleaning out our food stock?" Mist teased.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Well, I'm sure there's something we're overlooking. All we can do for now is keep our eyes open for it."

"Maybe along the way we'll run into a few jobs then," Oscar suggested. "We are pretty well-known nowadays, after the whole Ashnard thing."

"Yeah, I guess this won't be so bad if I get to feather someone," Shinon agreed, much to Ike's surprise.

Ike looked over in Gatrie's direction, since he'd been silent all through the meal and the debate.

"Well, Gatrie, are you going to give an opinion too?" he wondered.

"Oh, whatever you decide is fine with me, Commander. Though truth be told, I'm not looking forward to tramping about in this heavy armor, especially if it's to Gallia," Gatrie replied, seeming to shudder at the memory of Gallia's sweltering jungles.

"Figures," Ike muttered. "So anyway, anyone have any suggestions on how to start? Do we search the fort, try to trace my father's past in Daein or Gallia, or what?"

"…Well, maybe the shield has a clue?" Titania wondered.

"I doubt it," Soren replied. "Greil never actually got it, remember? When Jerec gave it to Ike, he said that Bryce was going to give it to Greil, but never got the chance."

"True, but bear with me for a moment," Oscar entreated. "Commander Greil must've known about the shield, since his sword is engraved on it, correct?"

"I'd be willing to agree if Greil had commissioned the shield to be made, but it was Bryce who did that," Soren pointed out. "For all we know, the shield was supposed to be a surprise present that Bryce had no chance to deliver and Greil never knew about it at all."

"I don't think so," Oscar contradicted. "I examined the engraving of Ettard, and the detail is incredible. It takes a skilled hand to put that kind of detail into such a tiny image, and it can't be done from memory. I think Greil knew about the shield and allowed the armorer to see Ettard so that the engraving would be done properly."

"That seems a bit of a stretch," Soren opined, clearly unconvinced. "The armorer could just as easily have used a sketch of the sword."

"And made it how?" Oscar countered. "We both know Commander Greil wasn't a careless sort; if Ettard is even half as valuable as we think, he'd never leave it just lying about for anyone to snatch up."

Soren's brow creased, which had the eerie effect of stretching out the red mark on his forehead.

"Suppose you're right, how does that help us?"

"Maybe the commander was thinking of it at the time he decided on a hiding place," Oscar countered. "Since the sword's image is engraved on it, I'd think Commander Greil would've at least _seen_ the shield before."

"Sounds possible," Ike agreed. "Perhaps—"

"IIIIke!" a familiar female voice called out from somewhere down the hall.

"What in the world?" Ike blurted in disbelief as he turned in the direction of the sound; he knew that voice. "Don't tell me she did it again…"

As if in answer to his question, the door of the mess hall opened to reveal Elincia. With delight and alarm competing for dominance in his mind at her sudden appearance, Ike rose and moved to greet her. He found himself feeling lightheaded and breathing hard by the time he reached her, and not just because of the lingering effects of his injuries. Elincia looked stunning. Not that that was unusual, but she also looked different. She wore the same hooded brown cloak she'd used the last time she'd left her castle in disguise and, as she unfastened it, Ike saw that she was wearing a light blue dress of simple make underneath, rather than her armor or one of her regal court gowns. She looked less queenly than she normally did, though no less radiant. The dress hugged her curves well and looked as smooth as gossamer. What caught Ike's attention the most though, was not just her beauty, but the fact that Elincia was also carrying the shield which the company had just been discussing.

"Oh, Ike! There you are!" she greeted happily as she set her cloak and the shield on an extra chair near the door.

"Elincia, what—!" Ike began, but was cut off when Elincia quickly curled her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

Naturally, Ike returned the kiss, his tongue probing Elincia's mouth with boyish awkwardness while his hands roamed her shapely waist and back. Elincia's appearance had set Ike awhirl, far more than any of his dizzy spells, but now wasn't the time to be getting romantic, especially in front of the entire company. He could hear more than a few giggles in the background, probably from Mist and Mia, so Ike reluctantly pulled away from Elincia moments later.

"Elincia, what on earth gave you the idea to come back so soon? What about your duties at the castle?" Ike inquired, unable to hide his concern. "And I hope you didn't sneak out again."

"Oh, don't worry! Believe it or not, I got a lot done in the past couple weeks," Elincia assured. "Lucia even said I deserved a break right about now anyway. Besides, Geoffrey and the others were told about this before I left."

"Well, if it's fine with them then. I just don't want this thing between us to take too much away from Crimea's reconstruction."

"It won't, don't worry. We have plenty of people helping out and the aid from the laguz has really made a difference. We still have a long way to go, but things are much better than they were when we started. I've earned a little time with you, and I plan to make good use of it."

"True. But how did you get that shield?"

"Ah yes, about that," Elincia began, her tone turning mischievous as she placed her hands on her hips and her face took on a scolding expression. "I found it in your room, along with an unmade bed, a few shirts hanging out of an open dresser drawer, and a soiled pair of boots lying next to a terribly arranged pile of dirty clothes. Honestly Ike, you should be neater than that, especially since you're the commander here."

Ike merely brought his hand to his face in mortification while, from behind him, he heard even more people laughing quietly. Shinon had just about fallen out of his chair. _Wonderful. My girlfriend just lectured me in front of the whole damned company about cleaning my room! _Ike blurted in his head.

"Elincia, can't we talk about that later?" Ike finally replied. "And maybe a little less publically?"

"Ah, yes, you're right," Elincia replied softly, looking rather embarrassed herself. "I suppose you never had any chances to tidy things up lately either since you were recovering from those awful injuries."

"That, and the fact that you just blurted it in front of everyone."

"…Oh! I did, didn't I? I'm sorry. I was so thrilled to finally see you that I guess I forgot the others were here," Elincia apologized, though with a giggle.

"Gee, how considerate," Shinon opined sourly, his earlier humor forgotten.

"It's fine," Ike reassured. "I'll admit, you caught me off guard though. I didn't think you were that serious when you said you wanted to help look for that sword though."

"What? You silly thing, of course I was serious!" Elincia insisted. "Hunting for a hidden sword sounds way more fun than anything I have to do at the castle! Besides, after all the help you gave me during the war and...in other ways, I thought it only fair to help you for a change."

"Yeah, you tell him, Queen Elincia!" Mia shouted gleefully. "We were talking about the shield just now, actually."

"That reminds me," Ike spoke up. "We were discussing where to look for clues about where my father hid Ettard. One idea that came up was going to Daein and speaking to Jerec, to see if there might be a clue in his father's personal effects. Have you seen Jerec recently?"

When Ike mentioned Jerec and Daein, a curious change came over Elincia's face. The corners of her bright smile, which Ike would gladly walk a hundred miles to see, suddenly drew downwards and her brow creased with anxiety. Despite his reputation for being dense, Ike noticed these changes almost immediately.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, the urgency in his tone broking no argument.

"I have seen Jerec," Elincia replied and, after a moment's hesitation, continued. "He did have some news, but not all of it is good."

Ike's face too took on a curious expression, but one Elincia was well acquainted with. His face softened slightly, becoming calmly attentive, but his massive arms knotted over his chest. A curious blend of compassion and insistence which had gotten more than a few reluctant hearts to open up to him. And, of course, Elincia's heart opened quite rapidly.

"Jerec visited the castle recently and, when he heard I was going to join you in hunting for Ettard, he asked me to give you a message. He decided he didn't want to see you directly because it would feel awkward."

"Really? What did he want to tell me?" Ike wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"He wanted to thank you."

"Huh? For what? He's the one who gave me the shield."

"True, but he said he wanted to thank you for making him see the truth about you. He told me that things have been getting harder in Daein. The country was placed under Begnion's rule after the war ended, but Jerec told me that the occupation armies have been neglecting and even abusing the citizens. I really didn't want to bring this up, but a lot of the people there blame you for what they're going through."

"What?" Ike blurted. "That's preposterous! I might have killed Ashnard, but I certainly never made Begnion act like this!"

"Exactly. Jerec said he was fed up with what he heard about you and that he feared there was little he could do for Daein in any case. He stayed on for a little while to make sure the food convoys reached Daein but, after that, he left. He said that the way you fought Arius made a real impression on him and that he was honored to see who you really are."

"…Wow. He's definitely Bryce's son. Bryce seemed to believe I was a good person too, despite that we were on opposite sides. Where's Jerec now?"

"I'm not sure. I offered him asylum within Crimea and a position in my court, but he refused saying it would complicate things too much. I hate to admit it, but he had a point. Pretty much everyone dislikes Daein now due to the war. I asked him where he was going but all he said was 'The same place we're all going: forward. As for where _that_ is, I'll find out when I get there.'"

"Huh. Well, maybe we'll run into him while we're looking for the sword. Still, what you told me about Daein bothers me. I mean, I can understand why the people here don't like the idea of helping Daein, but is there anything we can do?"

Here, Elincia let out a very un-queenly groan and rubbed at her temples as if trying vainly to massage away a _very_ big headache.

"I've been trying for weeks to convince my advisors that helping Daein is the right thing to do, but it's been going nowhere," she admitted. "I've sent missives to Apostle Sanaki, urging her to change Begnion's policies in Daein, but our own Pegasus Knights are still in training and, on horseback, a message would take more than three weeks to reach her. Besides, Begnion is still financing a lot of our own reconstruction. So, I'm hardly in a position to be demanding. Right now, to be honest, I'm at a loss. I'm hoping getting away for a while will let me get a fresh perspective."

"So, there's not much we can do at the moment?" Ike inquired, clearly less-than-thrilled at the notion.

"Why would we want to?" Soren spoke up, his tone icy. "Personally Ike, it confounds me that you're so sympathetic towards Daein when they're responsible for your father's—"

Ike cut him off with a glare that could've blistered paint.

"The Black Knight was responsible for that, and he's dead. Besides, I may not be responsible for Daein's problems in quite the way the people there think, but what's happening to them _is_ connected to things I've done. So, if the chance to make something good come out of this comes, I'm going to take it."

Soren looked rather put out by the rebuke, Shinon looked at Ike as if the commander was an idiot and Titania, much like the last time Ike agreed to help his onetime enemies, looked worried that Ike's compassion might backfire on him. Again. Elincia, by contrast, swelled with pride at her lover's righteousness.

"Well, since we can't do anything for Daein now, let's focus on what we can do," Ike declared. "Now, Titania, you suggested there might be some kind of clue on the shield?"

"Yeah, though as Soren said, it probably isn't very likely," Titania replied.

"Agreed, but it wouldn't hurt to take a good look at it anyway."

Ike then picked up the shield, idly wondering if it really was as light as it felt or if the exhaustion caused by his blood loss was lessening, and propped it up on the table for all to see. Ike, Elincia, Titania, and Soren scrutinized the front of the shield while others attempted to get glimpses of the sides or take a closer look at the back. Oscar, who had been directly facing the backside, had squinted even more than he naturally did, as if something had caught his attention.

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary…" Titania observed.

"Neither do I. Oh well," Ike replied and began to set the shield down.

"Ike, wait, turn it around again," Oscar insisted.

"Huh?"

"Trust me on this, I think I'm on to something."

Ike was puzzled but he complied, propping the shield so that the backside was facing Oscar once more.

"…I knew I wasn't seeing things before. There's writing down the left-hand portion of the backside," Oscar pointed out. "I can't read it from here, but I can see it."

"Really? I didn't notice anything like that," Boyd replied.

"It pays to have squinty eyes. They let me look at things more closely than usual."

"I always wondered if that were true," Ike added, turning the shield around again so he could see the writing. "And you're right, I see the writing too."

Ike soon discovered why even Oscar had trouble reading the writing, it was tiny. Ike had to crane very close to the shield, so close that the tip of his nose was practically flattened against the wood, and read the inscription letter for letter.

"Every warrior's end leads to a new beginning," Ike read, his voice comically distorted by his nose being crammed against the wood. "Hmm…"

"As deep and sagely as that is, I don't see how it can help us…" Boyd commented, perplexed, and with a sarcastic tone.

"Bah, useless…" Shinon uttered. "I knew this whole meeting was pointless."

"Shinon, stop," Titania ordered. "It could be some sort of riddle, we need to consider what it might mean."

"True. Though, Titania, if Shinon doesn't want to help, I won't keep him here," Ike replied, raising his head and massaging his sore nose. "Ideas, anyone?"

"Well, that first part makes me think of a warrior dying," Rhys suggested.

"Yeah, but Commander Greil died in that old castle in the Gallian forest when the Black Knight showed up," Oscar pointed out. "I'm pretty sure the laguz would know if a sword was hidden there. They'd have sniffed it out, literally."

"Not to mention Greil obviously got rid of the sword _before_ getting killed," Soren added. "And, we've already ruled out the possibility that he might've taken Ettard along when we fled to Gallia."

"Yeah, nobody can really predict their own death," Mia agreed.

"But what if we're taking it too literally?" Elincia wondered. "I mean, is death the _only_ end for a warrior?"

"It is when they're fighting me," Shinon piped up.

"Shut up," Titania intoned.

"What if by 'end,' the inscription doesn't mean a final ending but a change?" Elincia suggested. "A transition, maybe?"

"Yeah, couldn't it mean like, retirement, or beginning a new job or something that involves battle?" Gatrie put in, intrigued. "Like Oscar leaving his post in the Royal Knights and then becoming a mercenary."

"…A new job. …Hold on, that's it!" Ike blurted, slamming a hand on the table. "Gatrie, you're a bloody genius!"

"Wait, I am?" Gatrie replied, scratching the top of his head. And he wasn't the only one.

"Yeah, I think you're absolutely right!" Ike insisted. "This phrase has two meanings. One, a warrior dying and a new one rising to follow in his footsteps or to take his place. Or two, a warrior's time in one position ending, and him embarking on a new path. That second meaning is what you and Elincia came up with."

"But what's that got to do with Commander Greil?" Boyd wondered.

"Alright, I'll explain. My dad was once a general in Daein, wasn't he? He was one of the Four Riders," Ike began. "His real name was Gawain. But after he found out Ashnard's plans, he stole Lehran's Medallion from him. My mother carried it because she was the only person who was immune to its chaotic energies. Father left his post and fled the country. That is where one saga of his life ends. After fleeing Daein, they went to Gallia. That's where Mist and I were born and where my father started calling himself Greil. He started working as a mercenary there. _That's_ where he took a new path. _That's_ his 'new beginning.'"

"You're right!" Titania exclaimed. "It makes perfect sense now for the commander to have had that shield in mind when he hid the sword. He might have even had that phrase carved on the shield himself so we'd find it when you received it, Ike."

"Exactly!" Ike agreed. "My mother could have been pregnant with me at the time she and my father fled. He could have told Bryce he wanted a message on it in case something happened to him before he could give it to me. Then Bryce picked the shield up when the carving was done, but never had the chance to give it to Father."

"Now I understand," Oscar put in. "It's only too bad Bryce isn't still around to confirm this."

"Yeah, but does this mean Commander Greil hid the sword somewhere in Gallia?" Boyd inquired.

"Perhaps, but it could also mean that he left yet another clue for us to find there," Ike replied. "Do you two think this is possible? Titania, Soren?"

"Actually, yes, it does sound logical," Soren agreed.

"I think so too," Titania added, her face suddenly faulting. "Hold on, did Soren and I just agree on something?"

"You sure did!" Mist replied with a giggle.

"Ah, I hate to break up the party here," Gatrie cut in reluctantly, "but _how_ are we going to find it in Gallia? I mean, it's a big stretch of country and that jungle...yikes!"

"Ah, but we didn't know what we were getting into back then," Ike countered. "Now that we do, we can plan ahead. The first thing we need to do is prepare for the trip. We'll need to stock up on supplies. We already have tents and camping gear, but we'll also need compasses, mosquito netting and plenty of food and water. Especially water."

"And here I was expecting you to say 'especially steak,'" Elincia quipped with a giggle.

"Okay, this is getting old," Ike groused, but quickly turned serious again. "Gallia is a jungle, and I think we all remember how hot it can get. If we're there at the tail end of a downpour, we'll be sweating by the gallon."

"Thank you for that lovely imagery," Elincia replied, though Ike couldn't tell if she was complaining or not.

"I can visit Melior to see if there are any maps of the jungle or if anyone there is familiar with the territory," Soren suggested. "We should also bring plenty of medicine and disinfectants, the bugs in the jungle are known to carry diseases."

"Should be easy enough to get all this stuff," Boyd agreed. "Heck, with our reputation, the shopkeepers will probably just let us have it for free."

"Well then, that settles it. We head back to Gallia in three days," Ike decided. "We'll try to chart our course in advance as much as possible and stay close to the trial we used to reach Castle Gallia so that we don't get lost. If we're lucky, we'll find Ranulf and he can lend us a hand."

"Good idea," Oscar replied. "The laguz can smell metal."

"Not only that, but Ranulf might also have an idea of where my father lived," Ike added. "Everyone, make sure to get a good night's sleep because we're going to kick off the mission prep first thing in the morning. Dismissed."

"Ugh, not blasted beast country again…" Shinon mumbled.

Titania rolled her eyes as the group cleaned up from breakfast and dispersed. Oscar and Mist returned to the kitchen to wash the dishes they used while others went to do some training, clean their weapons, or in some cases, to get a head start on the preparations. Elincia approached Ike as he was about to pick up the shield.

"Hey Ike, I want to go with you tomorrow," she insisted. "Please? I came all this way to help out, you know. Finding that sword could benefit Crimea if it's a powerful blade, especially if it's in the hands of someone like you."

"But of course. And I'd never say no now after you did what you did to get here," Ike replied with a smile. "Besides that, we don't get much time together…"

"True. Oh how I wish we could though! I could always reinstate you as a lord again. But you hate it too much."

"Yeah… I'll admit, I'm kinda torn about it too. Sometimes, I find myself thinking I should take you up on that because being a lord would mean we could see each other whenever we want and I could do a lot of good in Crimea. Other times, I find myself thinking that I couldn't leave the mercenaries and that I'd be miserable cooped up in the castle, and that I'd make you miserable too. I'm just not sure exactly what I should do or if there's another choice that I'm missing. But believe me, I'm always trying to think of compromises."

"And I'm glad. I am too, actually. We shouldn't have to keep our relationship a secret from so many people…"

"I completely agree. But there are people who think commoners and royals just don't mix, as unfortunate as it is. Still, I would do anything to be yours."

Ike soon craned in to leave kisses on Elincia's neck.

"Hee hee… As would I, Ike…"

"Bloodlines and names don't matter at all… It's what we do that counts."

As Ike spoke his words, Elincia captured his lips with hers while her arms curled around his neck again. Ike soon pulled Elincia closer, his arms clasped around her waist. Ike heard Elincia moan softly as he held her closer and closer and tighter and tighter as he reveled in her soft touch and her sweet aroma. The joy of having her with him sent him awhirl, almost dizzy with delight…until he realized that he really _was_ dizzy.

_ Aw, hell, not __now__!_

Unable to stop himself, Ike suddenly swayed in place. The abrupt break of contact surprised Elincia, who opened her eyes to find Ike staggering back and forth.

"Ike?" she spoke up, worried. "What's wrong?"

Ike didn't answer, the room was spinning so fast that his stomach turned in protest. He staggered forward again, closer to Elincia, and then stumbled…crashing right into her and sending both of them to the floor.

"Oooof! Ow!" Elincia quietly grumbled. "Ike, what is wrong with you?"

"Um…" stammered a very embarrassed Ike. "You took my breath away?"

"Nice try."

"Okay, I just had a dizzy spell back there. Rhys warned me I'd feel light-headed because of the blood loss. And, before you say it, I'm not sitting out this mission. I've got things under control."

"Well, from where I'm sitting…laying…whatever, it doesn't look like it."

"Sorry. Here, my head's feeling better now. I'll help you up."

Slowly, taking care not to set his head awhirl once more, Ike carefully rose to his feet and then offered a hand to Elincia. She took it eagerly and he pulled her up. What Ike didn't notice was that he had stepped on the front end of Elincia's dress while she was still on the floor. As Elincia rose, her dress slid a few inches down her shoulders.

"Ah! Ike!" she cried, pulling away from him.

"Oh! Shoot, I'm sorry!" Ike replied, quickly taking his foot off the bottom of the dress.

"Now the lace has come undone," Elincia observed, pulling her dress back up, only to find that it was still loose. "Ike, you're lucky I love you so much, or you'd be in trouble. Could you tie this back up for me?"

"S-Sorry… And sure."

Elincia then turned around to let Ike tie the lace again, hopefully tight enough this time so it wouldn't come undone so easily. There were two knots to tie, and just as Ike was working on the first one, however, Titania walked in the room. She had a book in her hand but, when she saw the rather questionable position Ike and Elincia were in, the book dropped to the floor and was swiftly followed by her lower jaw.

"IKE!" she shouted.

"Gaaah!" Ike blurted, jumping away from Elincia who reached out frantically to keep her dress from falling away any further. "Titania!"

"Ike! What on earth are you doing?" Titania demanded.

"I-It's not what you think, I swear!" Ike pleaded.

"Relax, Titania!" Elincia put in with a giggle. "The lace on my dress came undone by accident and Ike was just tying it back up for me. That's all."

"Well, don't ever scare me like that again. I'd think you two would know better than to let any funny business happen right here, right now," Titania replied.

"Scare _you_ like that? You almost gave me a heart attack!" Ike countered.

"Ah, sorry about that," Titania apologized. "I just couldn't believe what I was witnessing for a second there.

"Hey, I don't blame you. That was kind of awkward to see, wasn't it?" Elincia admitted.

"It sure was," Titania agreed, picking her book up. "I came in here to do a little reading. Now you two behave yourselves. If you're not careful, your relationship could be discovered by the wrong people."

"Yes, we know," Ike assured.

"Just giving you a friendly reminder."

With that, Titania sat down at a nearby table and opened her book.

"So, Elincia, I'm assuming you want to spend the night in the fort?" Ike guessed as he continued retying the lace.

"Naturally," Elincia replied.

"Okay," Ike agreed. "I'm sure Mist and Mia would be glad to share their room with you, I know you loved bunking with them during the war."

At this, a sly but nervous grin worked its way across Elincia's features.

"Actually, I was thinking about your room?" she wondered, fumbling slightly over her words.

Elincia's question left Ike so thunderstruck that he unwittingly yanked on the lace hard enough to make Elincia yelp.

"Oops, sorry. You, ah, kinda caught me off guard there," Ike admitted.

"That makes two of us," Titania added, trying to look like she was still reading her book instead of scrutinizing the couple.

"Please Ike?" Elincia entreated. "I trust you, and the time we have together is scarce enough as it is."

"You might as well listen," Titania seconded. "Besides, on my way back here, I saw Mist and Mia hang a 'Quarantined' sign on their door."

Ike glanced back and forth between the two women with one eyebrow arched. All he got from either was giggles.

"Okay," he relented, his tone hovering between nervous and delighted. "If your mind's made up."

"Of course, silly, but you must clean your room first," Elincia insisted. "Remember what I said earlier?"

"Aw come on, it's not that bad, is it?"

"Ike, clean it. Or else I'll have to sleep outside! Or take my chances with Mist and Mia's 'Quarantined' room, whichever comes first."

"Well, since you put it that way…"

"Oh, Ike, I'll help you out, okay?"

"But you're a guest. And the queen, no less."

"True, but I cleaned, cooked, and sewed while I was being raised in the royal villa. It's no trouble."

"…Well, alright, if you insist."

With that, Ike grabbed the shield and the pair headed for Ike's room. As he and Elincia walked through the hallway, the only thoughts on his mind were the precious time he had with her, and the clues Greil might have left to Ettard's location.

Later that evening, after the group trained throughout the day, completed a few small local jobs, and made some progress on preparing for the journey to Gallia, the Greil Mercenaries began turning in for the night. The three brothers had already gone to bed while everyone else did other quiet activities before settling down for the night. Gatrie and Rhys had also turned their lights out. Titania and Soren, the latter having obtained a partial but serviceable map of the known trails through the Gallian jungle, spent some time charting their course. Ike and Elincia, meanwhile, were setting up Ike's newly cleaned room so both could use it for the night while Mist and Mia, disregarding their own "Quarantine," listened at the door. Ike's bed had been nicely re-made, the bedspread smoothed out and straightened and the pillows fluffed. The furniture and other objects lying about the room had been dusted off and neatly rearranged. A pile of clothes, almost tall enough to reach Ike's hip, had been sorted through with the clean clothes being neatly re-folded and stored away and the sizeable pile of dirty clothes having been washed and put away as well.

"If Geoffrey and Lucia saw this, they'd probably trample me with the royal carriage," Ike quipped as he watched Elincia finish putting away his shorts.

"Don't worry, you'd be able to hear it coming and jump out of the way," Elincia snickered, to which Ike rolled his eyes good naturedly.

Ike had never been really good at cleaning up after himself, since doing so was usually crowded out by training and mercenary work. But, luckily, with people like Mist, Titania, Oscar, and now Elincia, he didn't need to worry. Well, luckily for Ike at least. Mist, less-than-pleased with the arrangement, had attempted to teach Ike how to do laundry properly and the end result had been one of Titania's red tunics turning a pair of pants pink. And unfortunately, those pants had belonged to Shinon. It was safe to say that _that_ incident hadn't done much for the sniper's opinion of his commander. Even so, Ike hadn't ever attempted to wash any clothing again after that. Still, thinking of the incident now made him laugh, despite that he'd turned the pants pink purely by accident.

Interestingly, Elincia had been wearing a sleeveless nightgown underneath her dress, so she had no objections to letting Ike watch her pull the dress over her head. Nor, for that matter, did Ike mind Elincia's eyes on him as he removed his shirt. Once this was done, she spied the painting of her and Ike that the couple had gotten done in Melior sometime before. It sat upon the dresser, against a little stand for all to see. Elincia had insisted on having it done and gave it to Ike. He'd accepted it happily, though it was before he realized he loved her.

"Oh, Ike, I'm so glad you've taken good care of this picture…" Elincia commented, gazing upon the painting fondly.

"Yeah, so am I. I only wish I'd have known then that I loved you," Ike replied, though a bit somberly.

"That would have been nice, but all that matters to me is that you do now," Elincia assured with a loving smile.

"And I'm definitely glad of that. By the way, are you _sure_ that night gown wasn't an accident?"

"Ike, for the hundredth time, yes! Like I told you, I wanted to wear a different one, but a maid had already taken the others to the wash. It's the honest truth!"

"Alright, alright, I believe you. I won't ask again."

Earlier, Ike had been contemplating whether or not the night gown really was an accident and not Elincia attempting to be more forward with her affections. After all, nightwear like that was not difficult to take off.

"Still, I certainly don't mind it," Ike continued, approaching Elincia and stroking her bare arms.

"Hee… I'm glad. And I like when you take your shirt off," Elincia countered, roaming Ike's broad, sculpted chest. He had removed his shirt earlier and was now in only pants.

"That's why I do it," Ike replied with a smile.

Their lips soon met once more, and their tongues crossed the thresholds of each other's mouths. Elincia continued sliding her hands across Ike's chest and shoulders while his hands continued to roam her arms. Ike's lips disengaged from Elincia's to lavish her neck and collarbone while her hands swept across his broad back, her head craning back and moans escaping her lips.

"You've gotten better at this sort of thing," Elincia commented between moans. "Have you been practicing?"

"Only on you, my love," Ike answered, thrusting his tongue into Elincia's mouth again. "There will be no one else. Ever."

"Never," Elincia agreed, capturing Ike's lips once more.

The two continued for some time, reveling in each other's presence and exploring their passion for each other as much as they dared. There was a line neither would cross, not until all obstacles between them were finally conquered, but the two simply enjoyed flirting with that dangerous threshold while the duties that weighed heavily on both of them were, at least for the moment, very far away.

"Come on!" an angry whisper sounded just beyond the door. "Start making babies or something!"

"Mia!" another whisper rang out mutedly. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"Hey, you're the one who was going on and on about nieces and nephews."

Absorbed in their bliss, the couple didn't notice their small, unseen audience but, in another instant, the whispering was heard again.

"Eeek, it's Titania!"

"Back to the room!"

The couple, not noticing the commotion outside, continued. By this point, Ike was on the bed with Elincia pinned beneath and his lips blazing trails across her swanlike neck while she writhed in ecstasy beneath him. Moments later, however, the door suddenly burst open.

"Ike! Ike, you won't believe this!" Titania's voice rang out, the door banging against the wall as she came crashing in. "I've found...what the—?"

Ike and Elincia, roused from their trance, sprang apart, their faces turning as red as Ike's cape.

"Waah!" Ike blurted, whirling around to see Titania at the door.

A look of mingled shock and accusation flitted across Titania's feature but, when she realized the pair had not...gotten _quite_ that far, she relaxed slightly.

"Crud! Titania, please quit _doing_ that!" Ike commanded, nearly in a plea.

"I can't leave you two alone for a second, can I?" Titania replied with a frown, one which silently warned the pair not to press their luck. "I'm sorry though…again."

"It's fine. What made you go shouting for me in the middle of the night anyway?" Ike inquired.

"Ah, right! You won't believe this! Oscar's talk earlier about Greil having built the fort got me thinking; maybe there _are _clues here that we never found," Titania began. "We decided to do a bit of exploring as well after what we learned at this morning's meeting. Shinon, obviously, refused at first, but I made him do it. While we were searching your father's office, he discovered a secret compartment in the desk. There was an old note inside! I didn't know it at first though, and the bum tried to burn it before I saw it. Luckily, I caught him before he could do so."

"Oh wow, nice timing. Let me see it!"

"Of course, it's right here."

Titania then handed him the note. Ike opened the folded parchment and began to read. The words quickly made his eyes widen with excitement.

_ This message is intended for my son, Ike, after he has inherited command of the Greil Mercenaries and proven himself a capable leader__. __The information in this note is not to be shared with anyone but the Greil Mercenaries and those they deem trustworthy. __Ike, by now, I imagine you have discovered a great many secrets which I have striven to hide and tried harder still to forget. It is my hope that these will not haunt you as they have me but, if you're reading this, then that has not come to pass and you will need whatever aid I can give you.__After I slashed the tendons in my sword arm, I hid my prized blade, Ettard, in a secret location. __The very sight of it reminded me of the last person to die by that blade; the one I'd sworn to protect until death parted us. I had no illusions that I could bury those terrible memories as easily as I could bury the blade itself, but I feared the sight of it would drive me to madness once again. Though I could never bring myself to wield that blade again, even if I still had the sword arm to do so, I fear you may have need of it and so I've written this message__in case I do not live long enough to relay the information to my comrades safely. Ike, should you ever wish to wield Ettard, I have also hidden a number of clues to the blade's whereabouts__. This was done both as an__attempt to keep any unfriendly parties from finding the sword __and as a test to see if you are fit to wield it. I can only hope Ettard serves you better than it did me__. For your first clue, go to the land of the beast and find the place of your birth._

_ Love,_

_ Father  
_

"Titania…" Ike began when he finished. "My father _did_ leave us clues!"


	9. The Secret Sword: Part 2

Part 2: An Unexpected Turn

"Seriously? Does that note really say that?" Titania gasped upon hearing Ike's startling analysis of his father's letter.

"You bet your axe it does!" Ike replied delightedly, handing her the note so she could see for herself. "This is exactly what I've been hoping for!"

"Wow, you're absolutely right!" Titania confirmed after reading through the message. "We were going to go to Gallia anyway, but this confirms that we were on the right track all along!"

"Exactly. There's still the problem of figuring out exactly where I was born though," Ike pointed out. "I mean, we've been to Castle Gallia, but we haven't explored any more of the country. We have no idea where my parents lived while they stayed in Gallia, or even if that's what the note refers to. Was I born at home, or at a Gallian shaman's hut? Heck, for all we know, my mother could've given birth to me out in the Gallian jungle somewhere before she and my father even found a home."

"Yeah, but I rather doubt that's the case," Titania countered. "Your father was always very good at planning ahead, and would've likely seen to it that Elena was indoors during that time. Giving birth just anywhere can't exactly be good for the mother or the baby."

"Yeah, probably."

"Well, wait, could King Caineghis possibly know?" Elincia cut in. "He knew Master Greil well, after all."

"That's true too," Titania replied. "But he's a king with lots of duties and this all happened many years ago. He might not remember where Greil and Elena lived back then. And besides, it's not like we can just waltz into Castle Gallia and start asking him questions."

"Indeed. We'll have to figure this out when we cross the border," Ike decided. "For now, let's focus on our preparations and supplies."

"Understood. In the morning, Mist and I were going to go shopping and Oscar was going to take stock of our food and water. Soren's going to keep searching around for information that might help us."

"Excellent. Just don't spend too much. The only money we have is what we get for pummeling bandits and pirates, after all."

"Of course. I'm going to turn in for the night. Today's been busy and tomorrow's likely to be busier. Oh, and I'll take this note and put it in a safe place."

"Alright, good night, Titania!" Elincia replied with a smile.

"Good night. And no more funny stuff, you two."

"We know, Titania, you don't have to keep reminding us a million times…" Ike grumbled. "Good night."

"I should hope so. See you in the morning," Titania replied and departed the room.

"Titania needs to quit worrying," Elincia spoke up once the red-haired paladin closed the door. "We're well aware of our limits, aren't we?"

"Yeah, and it's not like I'm stupid enough to get you pregnant or anything at a time like this," Ike added.

As the words left his mouth, a curious expression came over Ike's face. There was a distance to his gaze and a lazy smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Then again, the idea _is_ appealing."

These words had a profound impact on Elincia. She did a double take and her mouth literally fell open, astonishment plain on her features.

"Did I say something wrong?" Ike inquired, concerned.

"Well...no. Not wrong, just...unexpected," Elincia admitted.

That was a bit of an understatement. It hadn't been all that long since Ike and Elincia had realized that they were head over heels for each other and, since then, their respective duties had made it a challenge to simply see each other. Neither of them had minded, for absence did, indeed, make the heart grow fonder, but neither had given much thought beyond simply being able to slip away long enough to revel in one another's presence.

Or, so Elincia had assumed.

"It's kinda strange hearing myself say something like that," Ike confessed, that lazy smile still on his face. "Ever since I was a little kid, all I ever wanted was to be like my father. A strong warrior, a good leader."

"I'd say you've succeeded."

"I don't know about that. But, anyway, after I met you it was like whole other worlds opened up to me. And, it was like I was the last to know. The night before you came to the fort to hire us to deal with the wolves? Well, Titania told me that Oscar suspected that I was in love with you and, after that, Titania told me that she wanted to see her grandchildren before she goes."

Elincia's face faulted as she tried, unsuccessfully, to imagine how dumbstruck Ike must've been when he heard that.

"Yeah, that was my reaction too," Ike admitted, with a chuckle. "Still, I think I like the idea."

Elincia was dumbstruck by Ike's words, but her astonishment quickly gave way to delight and amazement. And, not just from the words or the images they evoked but by the deeper meaning therein. Ever since she and Ike had confessed their love, they'd talked about the prospect of being able to be open about their affections for one another. Often times, it sounded to both of them like a shared fantasy, one that was wonderful and yet would never be completely real.

Did Ike's words mean that he sought to change that?

Granted, he hadn't exactly confessed anything besides a simple wish, but what belied that confession? Perhaps nothing, perhaps a great deal. As if sensing her thoughts, Ike cupped her cheek and, though years of labor had left his hands as rough as leather, the comforting warmth teased a grin from her mouth.

"I really don't know what the future holds for us," he admitted. "But, I want to find out. I want you to be a part of my future, however it turns out. Heck, maybe Titania will get some grandkids out of the deal."

She too worked envisioned what Ike had described and that imagining left her giddy. Images of a little boy, all tiny hands, wild blue hair and golden brown eyes, flittered before her mind's eye. She could almost see the little tyke taking after his father, swing a branch at imaginary foes while Ike, rolling his eyes good naturedly, shouted out corrections to the boy's sloppy swings. Elincia could picture herself, watching from a garden swing while she mended some clothes for the boy, her _son_, she realized, while he'd give her a big hug, don the clothes and then head straight for the nearest mud puddle.

Whether that was a fantasy, to forever be a cherished dream, or a reality that could yet be created, she did not know. But, like Ike, she wanted to find out.

"It seems I'll have to take Lucia to task for what she said before I left," Elincia quipped with a snicker.

"Oh, what'd she say about me?" Ike wondered, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Well, it wasn't about you in particular, it was…a generalization, I guess. Before I left, she warned me that 'men are allergic to commitment.'"

It occurred to her that Lucia often warned against saying that word aloud in front of a man but, as always, she felt she could trust Ike with everything. Granted, Ike hadn't made the sort of commitment that Lucia had been referring to, but it was still a commitment.

If Ike did, in fact, choose to make Elincia a part of his future, then he'd have to make some hard choices; which would be all the harder since neither of them could foresee _what_ those choices might be. Yet, despite that, he was not afraid. And, for that matter, neither was she.

Much was uncertain, but he loved her enough to find out what lay ahead and she loved him enough to be patient.

"So, what else did Lucia say about me?" he inquired, feigning anger in a fashion that was so transparent and comical that Elincia nearly fell to the ground laughing.

Then, when she pondered her reply, she sobered up and her mirth vanished like a popped bubble.

"Well," she began, a hint of distress in her tone. "We, ah, discussed what to do in case I, um…"

Suddenly, those images of a boy with Ike's hair and her eyes changed…for the worse.

And, the new shape they took was one that was terribly, terribly familiar.

"What's wrong?" Ike wondered, a hint of alarm in his tone.

"We talked about what would happen if I did…" Elincia trailed off, suddenly unable to finish the sentence, so she laced her fingers over her stomach and traced a bulging arc.

"In case you do get pregnant," Ike realized, suddenly very sober himself.

"Yeah, you see, Lucia had a chat with me about that…" Elincia explained. "To put it mildly, she does _not _think it would be good for either of us if I were to have a child out of wedlock. She thinks it would ruin your business, and my image in front of the kingdom. She came up with a plan in case that happens, but I don't like it."

"Go on," Ike urged, laying a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"She thinks that, if I do become pregnant, it would be best to try and pass the baby off as Geoffrey's."

A curious expression, one that hovered between puzzlement and suspicion, flashed across Ike's face. Not long ago, Ike had suspected that Geoffrey might have feelings for Elincia similar to those he had. Yet, when Ike kissed Elincia right in front of Geoffrey, he had made no objection of any kind. Geoffrey did possess a great deal of restraint and good judgment, but his reaction, or rather, the lack thereof, just didn't seem like the sort of a man in love. Ike was not known for his intellect, but this plan seemed like nonsense.

"How would that work?" Ike replied, unable to mask his confusion. "Would you say that you two were secretly in love or something? And what would Geoffrey think?"

"Sort of. A lot of people at the castle know that Geoffrey and I grew up together, so they probably wouldn't find it all that strange if he and I fell in love, even though I ended up falling for a very handsome and heroic blue-haired mercenary instead, hee hee."

Ike's cheeks blazed a deep pink at Elincia's comment. Her gentle teasing almost made him forget the rather sobering topic of this discussion.

"Hehe…" he chuckled bashfully.

"Well, it's true! But anyway, as for Geoffrey, Lucia said that she'd told him already and that he's agreed to the idea. You see, I was raised together with Geoffrey and Lucia at the royal villa. They've been like my foster siblings ever since I was born, but very few people know that. So, Lucia and Geoffrey think the people might believe it."

Ike was liking this conversation, and Geoffrey and Lucia, for that matter, less and less by the minute.

"What do _you_ think?" he inquired, a little too much of his displeasure creeping into his tone. "How do you like this…plan?"

Elincia turned her gaze upon him, looking astonished and very nearly affronted.

"'Like it?' I don't. If all of this did happen, then our child would be living a lie. Literally. I spent nearly my entire life in hiding, I could count the times I even saw my parents on both hands, and with fingers to spare, but at least I _knew_ who they were through my lord uncle. He would always tell me stories about them, bring letters from them and, when I was little, he'd put me in front of the mirror and point out what parts of my face came from my father and which came from my mother. It wasn't the same as having my parents with me, but it _did_ make me feel as if I knew them and it made me wish I could be with them whenever I wanted. If I found out that the people I'd been pining for weren't what I believed, I would be devastated. I don't even want to think about how our child would feel if that happened to him. Or her."

At hearing Elincia's heartfelt confession, Ike's anger melted away. He drew Elincia close to him, letting his love rest her head against his chest while he stroked her back gently.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's alright, I was…a bit upset at the idea myself."

"I can understand why. I barely remember my mother and, sometimes, I don't know _who _my father was. He had so many secrets that I may never learn, and not just about fighting and leading, but about who he was. One thing that's been bothering me lately is what he might have been like while he was General Gawain. I sometimes wonder what he might've done back then…and if I even want to find out. You're right, our child shouldn't have to live like that."

"I agree. And, the idea of passing the child off as Geoffrey's just seemed so wrong. Honestly, can you imagine a pair of foster siblings loving each other romantically?"

"Well, now that I think about it…no. It'd be like step-siblings doing the same thing. Really weird."

"Exactly. Geoffrey _is_ a good man, but I've never been able to love him as anything more than a brother. Though, like I said, very few people know that, which is probably why Lucia thinks it could work. But, if I got pregnant with your child and people at the castle found out all that I've just told you, they'd never believe that Geoffrey was the father."

"Okay, what about all those soldiers who saw us kiss the day we left to take on that wolf tribe? They'd definitely assume I was the father."

"They…seem to have forgotten about that, actually. None of them have so much as mentioned it in weeks. They just collected their winnings from the betting pool and got on with life."

"Oh. Huh… Anyway, you haven't figured out what you'd do when the baby was born?"

"No… That's the hard part. I know I could just have Geoffrey help raise the child as if it were his, but I don't know if I could go through with it. I don't think I could bring myself to lie to my child about who his father is and then ask Geoffrey to go along with it. And, I hate the idea of you being unable to see your child freely even more…your own flesh and blood that we would've created."

Elincia seemed to be trembling in Ike's arms at the idea. And, Ike had to admit, he was struggling not to do the same. Yet, he was not afraid. He was angry at the picture Elincia had painted, and he was less-than-pleased with Geoffrey and Lucia for devising such a ridiculous plan, but he forced down the anger. Once Elincia had stilled, he smiled down at her.

"Let's make a pact then," he suggested. "Before we have any kids, we make sure they'll have both of us."

"Yeah. We'll just have to wait until it's safe to be together on our terms."

"Agreed. Well, what say we go to sleep now? I'm starting to get pretty tired."

"Sounds good to me. After all, my strong and handsome hero needs his hero's rest!"

"Hey, a queen needs her rest too!" Ike protested, his cheeks going pink again.

"Hee hee, true."

"Are you sure you don't want me to sleep on the floor though? My bed might not be big enough for the both of us."

"Ike, I'm positive. You still haven't quite recovered yet. Plus, it's no fun if we can't cuddle!"

"Well, since you put it that way, how can I resist? I very much doubt my bed is anywhere near as comfortable as the one you're used to at the castle though."

"Oh, that doesn't matter to me! Besides, it's nice not to have maids or Geoffrey always popping in every other hour to ask me if my blankets and sheets are clean enough or if I have enough clean clothes or what-have-you. I swear, it seems so stifling at times."

"Yeah, that's one thing I'd hate about living in the castle as a noble. I mean, it sounds nice to have servants or maids doing all the chores. I think we both know I'd never manage at that kind of thing. But people always telling me how to dress or how to clean myself up? Seems kind of intrusive. If you find a stain or that you need more soap, you'll let them know, right? Nobody needs to barge in just to ask about it."

"Exactly! I swear Ike, we fit together like puzzle pieces."

"Heh, I have to agree."

Ike then pulled open the blanket on his bed and fluffed his two pillows.

"Ladies first?" he said afterward in his most polite tone and making a comical bow, pointing Elincia towards the bed. Elincia merely giggled.

"Oh, Ike, you sweetheart."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to accidentally fall off the bed in the middle of the night, would I? If either of us has to fall, I'd rather it be me."

"Aw, but I wouldn't want you to fall off either. Still, if both of us were to fall, I'd rather I be on top of you than the other way around."

"That better not be yet another crack about my eating habits."

"Oh, of course not. But, those muscles of yours are really something. I wouldn't be surprised if you could dent a foot knight's armor with one punch."

"Heh, true."

Elincia then climbed into the bed and pulled herself under the covers, followed by Ike. When his head hit his pillow, Ike slipped an arm around Elincia's waist and pulled her close. Elincia responded by allowing a hand to roam Ike's broad chest and her head to lay upon his shoulder. Ike sighed with a smile as he felt the young queen's fingers across his skin.

"If only every night could be like this…" he spoke up.

"Yeah… But someday it will be. Someday..."

"Maybe someday, we'll have more than that. Maybe, someday, we'll have a family as well."

"I'd like that. When you brought it up, I could almost picture our child. I could see him learning how to use a sword and then trying to get himself as dirty as he could."

"Well, I'm kinda hoping they don't pick up _too_ many of my bad habits. That worries me."

"What worries _me_ is that they'll all inherit your appetite and I'll wind up as big as this fort."

"Well, it would serve you right for all those times you poke fun at my eating habits."

"Oh, you scoundrel!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. It is funny though…not that crack I made, that is. Up until I met you, I never gave a thought to any of this stuff. Finding a girl I'd want to spend my life with, someone I'd want to raise a family with. Now, when I think about you, I can't think of anything that would make me happier. It'll happen, I can feel it."

"I hope so. Sleep well, my love."

"You too."

With that, the couple shared a passionate good night kiss.

Over the following two days, preparation for the trip to Gallia continued. Although the Greil Mercenaries had to interrupt their work to take up a job or two along the way, this proved to be a blessing in disguise. While buying fruit, water, and mosquito netting, Titania and Mist also found someone who could rent them a small wagon for their supplies. It turned out to be a bit costly, but Ike decided it was worth it for the advantage of carrying more supplies. Mist cracked still another joke and said Ike just wanted it so they could bring more food, to which Ike had replied with a brotherly headlock before insisting that that was only one of several reasons the purchase was a good idea. Ike himself, meanwhile, worked with Soren on mapping out a route and reviewing the information the tactician had found while on his errands. Rhys, meanwhile, had bought as much medicine as possible and had been reading up on the insects known to be inhabiting the Gallian jungles so that he would know what signs of illness to look for and how to treat them. Undoubtedly, this explained why his complexion was greener than usual as the day came to a close.

Ike himself, meanwhile, worked with Soren on mapping out a route and reviewing the information the tactician had found while on his errands. Soren, it seemed, had struck gold; during his errands, he had encountered a retired hunter and poacher who had plied his trade in Gallia before unsanctioned hunting in that area was banned by the late King Ramon. The old hunter had been less than pleased at losing his occupation but, when faced with the prospect of imprisonment, he had changed his tune. At first, Ike was quite dubious about such a source but Soren had revealed that the old hunter was a skilled cartographer and a meticulous note taker, and that his findings had been made available for Crimeans with leave to enter Gallia. Between the map and the notes, Ike and Soren had able to chart a safe course through the jungle.

Everybody pitched in when it came to gathering supplies. The girls made sure to get enough food and water while the men readied the wagon, weapons, and other such necessities. If trouble found them, as it usually did, they'd be well-prepared.

As the final day before their planned departure drew to a close, Ike joined Soren for one last discussion on the planned route for their journey. The jungles of Gallia were not forgiving territory, so anything that had been overlooked before had to be found and taken into account now. Elincia had joined the two this time around as well, for the sake of being with Ike as much as she could during her stay. After all, after her visit was over she probably wouldn't get another chance to see him again for some time. Plus, she had separated from the group during their earlier visit to Gallia, first to remain hidden from Ashnard's army and again to head for Castle Gallia while Ike searched for his father who had led a diversionary team away from the others. If she remembered anything important about the lay of the land from those excursions, it could prove helpful.

"So Soren, you're saying we'll be good to go if we move along this route?" Ike wondered, sliding a finger down the eastern edge of Gallia.

"Yeah, it seems the jungles are thinnest and should be easiest to navigate around there due to the nearby mountains that separate the nation from Begnion. The notes also describe a lot of game trails in the area, which usually lead to water and clearings. Those should make our journey a bit easier, but we'll have to stay alert in case anything…unfriendly is on the trails with us."

"Alright, then I think our route's squared away. Where do you say we pitch camp?"

"Oh, how about that one area we were at where there was a big clearing, a little river, and two bridges?" Elincia suggested. "You fought some Daeins there, remember?"

"I had the same thought, but it turns out we were both wrong," Soren replied. "There is water and easy escape routes in case of trouble, but it turns out that river is prone to flash flooding. I don't know about the rest of you, but drowning in my tent is rather unappealing."

"I hear you," Ike agreed, flashing Elincia an apologetic grin and looking at the map. "This clearing here looks promising though. The hunter's note says that he camped there often, so we should be able to make use of it."

"Not a bad idea. I'll mark that on the map."

"And Ike, remember, Rhys said no battling until he thinks it's okay," Elincia added.

"Yes, I know! Geez, why does everyone keep reminding me of stuff I already know?" Ike wondered irritably.

"We just worry about you so much after what happened…" Elincia admitted, her eyes downcast. "I especially worry. I really didn't think you'd wake up after what Arius did to you."

As was often the case, Elincia's voice snuffed out Ike's frustration like a candle. Placing one hand below her chin, he raised her gaze to meet his and smiled rakishly.

"I know. And honestly, I understand perfectly. It's just…frustrating."

"I'll try not to bring it up too often then," Elincia agreed with a smile.

"Thanks. I don't think there's a big chance we'll find trouble anyway."

"Agreed," Soren replied. "Now how about we get Oscar or Mist to get some dinner started?"

"…Are you feeling alright, Soren?" Ike inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I've never once seen you ask for food," Elincia replied. "In fact, there were times I found myself wondering if you even ate at all."

"What she said. Oscar and I always thought you hated everything you ate," Ike added.

"Well, it's not so much that I hate what I eat, it's that… How can I explain this?" Soren contemplated. "I only ever eat a little at a time because my body is used to it."

"Why is that?" Ike wondered.

"Maybe it's because...before you found me, I often went hungry. Whenever I do eat more, I usually regret it because I feel as if my stomach just won't hold it in. But being so busy has actually given me quite an appetite, interestingly enough."

"Heh, wow. Let's go find Oscar and my sister then."

"Another reason I enjoy coming here," Elincia spoke up. "Oscar is one of the best cooks I've ever met. I honestly think he's a better chef than any of the cooks at the castle."

"Wow, really?" Ike wondered.

"Definitely! And, it always impresses me how he manages to make do with what he has. I mean, you would not believe the ingredients the castle chefs have to work with, but what they come up with doesn't even compare. I guess it's all in the technique."

"Heh, I'd say I agree, but I've never tasted the castle's food."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm well aware of that. The cooks there would sure have their work cut out for them keeping you fed though, I'll bet."

"What is this, a running gag?" Ike opined sourly.

"Tee hee hee," Elincia snickered at her prickly lover.

As the night wore on, the Greil Mercenaries' preparations drew to a close. Ike, meanwhile, relayed Titania's discovery to the rest of the company. And like Titania, many of them were surprised, yet thrilled by the discovery, and it motivated them to work faster. By nightfall, all was ready. Compasses, medicines, food and water canteens had been loaded into rucksacks for each of the mercenaries to carry while the camping gear and most of the weapons were packed into the wagon. Each of the mercenaries also carried a machete for hacking through undergrowth, since the weapons were best reserved for fighting if need be. Rhys had read up on how to use the machetes most effectively, but had gotten a cramp half way through the demonstration and had to hand it off to Mia. But the peppy swordmaster seemed to keep on forgetting her own advice to not use excess strokes and to save energy. After several willy-nilly strikes, Boyd snatched the machete out of her hands. That didn't go much better since he unwittingly swung so hard he nearly sent himself sprawling. After that, Titania took over. Confusing though this all was, the mercenaries seemed to get it.

Funds for the journey had also been allocated, each member of the expedition having a satchel of gold on hand with reserve funds loaded into the wagon. Bringing along a supply of gold had been met with some skepticism since the Gallians might not accept Beorc currency and might not have anything the mercenaries could use. At the very least, it was doubtful the Gallians would have spare swords and such lying around just waiting to be sold, since Laguz did not use such weapons at all. Still, if the journey did see the group circle back to Crimea, than the gold would be useful and it would certainly be wiser than leaving all their funds at the fort where they could be stolen. Soren also made sure the maps and the notes, both the old hunter's and his own, were left in a place where no one would forget them in the morning.

Over his inevitably huge dinner, Ike contemplated on what his upcoming adventure would be like. He rather doubted that he'd see much combat on this mission, not only because he wasn't seeking out bandits or other enemies but also because the others would probably keep him off the field even if they did do battle. If Ike was not aware of it before, he was now; this expedition was vastly different from any of his previous exploits. Rather than carving his way through bandits or Ashnard's troops, he was setting out to conquer a mystery and to claim a piece of his father's legacy and, possibly, his own. On the one hand, it was a treasure hunt and, on the other, a journey of self discovery. Though, perhaps there was more to it than that. After all, if he did run afoul of danger, his weakened state would force him to depend entirely on his friends. Granted, he trusted them, even Shinon, but being forced to literally place his life in the hands of others was a startling thing. It was a unique, and profound, test of courage and trust in others. It was also a bloody annoyance, but Ike decided to overlook that part.

Ike was excited, yet nervous at the prospect. And, still more questions crossed his mind; would the group be able to find Ranulf and enlist his aid? And if they did, would Ranulf even be able to help them much at all? Ike never doubted his closest laguz friend, especially after the aid he had given during the Mad King's War, but whether or not he knew anything about Greil's days as a mercenary for Gallia was questionable. Ranulf certainly didn't show any indication that he knew or had recognized Greil when the pair had met just before Greil's death, but then again, that might have been because Ike had inadvertently offended Ranulf during that same meeting.

These were far from the only things on Ike's mind, however. He also wondered what kinds of clues his father might have left behind. Were they more notes or letters? Or would they take on more cryptic forms? Maybe a seemingly discarded key that opened the lock of Ettard's hiding place? Or an item or other object that hinted at where to go next? And, for that matter, how many clues were there, in whatever form they took? Ike certainly wouldn't put it past his father to lock the sword in a chest or something of the like and to make finding it a test of both wits and persistence. So much was possible. Lastly, Elincia's story about Daein crossed the commander's mind as well. Would there ever be any way the country could find peace again? And what had become of Jerec after his visit to Castle Crimea? All Ike could do was hope the Halberdier was alright. After their meal, and the inevitable ribbing over his eating habits, Ike ordered his men to get a good night's sleep. Despite his worries, and his own advice, Ike then turned in for the night alongside Elincia feeling more excitement than he'd had in a long time. He couldn't wait to find his father's sword and test it out for himself. Though of course, he also enjoyed the time he had with the love of his life.

When morning finally came and the sun peaked over the Crimean horizon, the Greil Mercenaries slowly arose from their slumber. Ike, though reluctant as always to budge from Elincia's side, had decided the group should get up as early as possible so they traveled by daylight for as long as they could. It would be too difficult , and quite dangerous, to traverse a jungle at night, which made it very easy to get lost or to run afoul of predators or other dangers. When his eyes began to flutter open at the sunlight shining through his bedroom window, a drowsy Ike could distantly feel himself lying at the very edge of his bed, though he was half asleep and did not realize it at first. Elincia soon began to stir afterwards and smiled when she felt Ike's strong arm still around her waist.

"Good morning," Ike whispered through his yawns.

"Indeed it is," Elincia opined, snuggling against his form.

The couple spent a few minutes simply enjoying being together. There was very little talking about the kingdom or Ettard or the crises in Daein or anything else that might eventually separate them. Caresses, kisses and unspoken wishes for a future where, without interference or the need for secrecy, they could raise a family and grow old together passed between them for what felt like hours.

"Are you sure we need to get up now?" Elincia inquired, flashing her best puppy-dog grin.

"Well, I think the trip can wait five more minutes," Ike replied, and the pair lapsed into comfortable silence once more.

However, the peaceful silence was soon interrupted.

"AAAAH!" a deafening shriek rang out from the direction Titania's room.

"Daaah!" Ike bellowed, toppling off the bed and crashing to the floor. Elincia gasped and sprang up from her pillow.

"Dang it! Even when she's in another_ room_, that woman scares the daylights out of me!" Ike opined in annoyance.

Elincia merely giggled.

"Poor Ike!" she teased.

"Ha ha," Ike replied sarcastically. "Anyway, let's go see what's up."

"Oh, right."

With that, the couple hurried out of the room and headed for Titania's room. The red haired paladin, looking almost like a different person without her armor and her long hair unbound, was frantically searching the room, her eyes round with fear. Soon enough, the rest of the company was gathered there as well. It was rather humorous to see everyone in their night clothes, but Ike knew now was no time for laughs. The last time he'd seen Titania like this was at Gebal Castle, where his father had been killed, and he didn't much like the idea of something else which could leave her in such a state.

"Captain Titania, what happened?" Oscar quickly inquired.

"Yeah, and you know you woke us all up, right?" Boyd added.

"Quit it, Boyd! You're too lazy anyway!" Rolf retorted.

"Oh shut up, you whiny peewee."

"Make me, idiot meathead!"

"You seriously want me to do that, pipsqueak?"

"Oh stop it, both of you!" Mist cut in. "Titania's in tears, look at her!"

"Yeah, if you two want to argue, go somewhere else," Ike ordered.

"Alright, fine, I'll stop," Boyd gave in. "I apologize, Titania."

"Yeah, me too…" Rolf added.

"It's fine, it doesn't matter right now…" Titania replied, wiping tears from her eyes as her chest heaved with extertion. "Oh, Ike, I'm so sorry! Something awful has happened!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ike inquired.

"Your father's letter… It's gone!"

"What? But how?"

"I don't know… I put it in the little compartment inside my closet last night but, when I checked just now, it was gone. I've looked all over the room and there's no trace of it."

"But, what could've happened to it?" Ike wondered, puzzled.

"I don't know. I'm so sorry."

"Maybe somebody stole it?" Mia spoke up.

Ike was skeptical about the idea.

"I kinda doubt it. I mean, if someone broke open one of the windows or doors, we would've heard something. Besides, why would anyone want to rob this place? It's not like we have anything really valuable. And we're the only ones who know what that letter says, or that it even exists."

"I know. I mean, I still don't understand how someone could've taken it without waking me up."

"Well, it's not that important since we've already seen what's on the letter. Personally, I'm still not convinced it was stolen but, if someone _did_ steal it, we'd best be on our guard and get out of here quickly. If the thief read it, he might try to steal my dad's sword!"

"And _that's_ obviously of value. Let's hurry!" Oscar agreed.

No one, not even Shinon, was hesitant to agree, and the mercenaries rushed off back to their rooms to get dressed. Ike wasn't too surprised at Shinon's reaction, however. It was like the sniper to take someone trying to loot the fort as an insult, something the egotistical Shinon would not tolerate. Not to mention stealing Ettard would be like stealing something from Greil himself, and the late commander was one of the few people Shinon had respect for. Ike, many thoughts and worries now whirling through his mind, dressed quickly. Elincia, fortunately, had suspected the group might have to travel through woods or possibly mountains and had thankfully packed the clothing she would need. She had brought a pair of white pants, brown boots, and a simple orange tunic with red lining, much like the orange dress she used to wear, all of which was sturdy and oiled for waterproofing. When Ike saw the tunic, however, he noticed with wry amusement the resemblance to his blue and yellow one, only it was longer in the back.

"Elincia, seriously, I know you love me a lot, but modeling a tunic after mine?" Ike spoke up with a chuckle.

"It's not _exactly_ the same," Elincia giggled. "But I'll admit, I did get inspiration from you when I had this made."

Ike merely rolled his eyes playfully. Since time was of the essence, Elincia didn't mind when Ike saw her slip off her night gown and pull on the pants and tunic. She had also brought a steel sword along with her just in case she ran into trouble. And Ike had to admit, Elincia even looked great wearing rugged outdoor gear. He certainly was a lucky man, if he did say so himself.

Everyone had finished preparing so quickly, the entire company was suited up and outside by the time the sun had completely risen above the horizon. Oscar then hitched his and Titania's horses to the wagon. Both knew from prior experience that horses maneuvered poorly in woods and, since open wounds could quickly become infected in the jungle, he decided it would be best that the horses bring up the rear rather than be guided through the thorny undergrowth. Oscar himself guided the horses from the wagon's seat, as no one in the group, including Elincia, knew how to drive a horse and cart. The wagon's hitch had been set up so if need be, one of the other mercenaries could quickly free the horses so Oscar and Titania would able to mount up for battle. After all the supplies were accounted for and the maps reviewed one last time, Ike commanded the group to set out. It was also agreed that the mosquito netting could remain in the wagon until the troop reached the campsite. Small fringes of the Gallian jungles extended into Crimea, but they weren't thick enough to be a potential problem.

Since the Greil Mercenaries' fort was located closer to the northern Crimean coastline than the Crimea-Gallia border, the trip took several hours. Along the way, the group worked a couple of quick jobs for some extra gold just in case, but nonetheless, the mercenaries made sure not to fall too far behind schedule. Ike wished to reach the thickest parts of the jungles by afternoon, and, the way things were going, it seemed as if they'd succeed. Ike was most pleased with the progress, and he'd made sure to thank the others for their efforts; he just hoped their luck would hold if they decided to locate Ranulf. Ike suspected it wouldn't be difficult, as the blue cat laguz was rather well-known throughout his nation for being a powerful warrior as well as due to his high military rank. In fact, Ranulf was one of the strongest and highest ranked cat laguz the nation had ever produced. Ike definitely had reason to believe that finding him wouldn't be difficult, though whether or not he'd be able to help was still uncertain.

Another reason Ranulf was sought after, however, was that Ike was…wary. Ever since the discovery that his father's letter had vanished, Ike had felt strangely uneasy. He still wasn't convinced that his father's note going missing was a sign of foul play, but at the same time, he found himself glancing around and behind for any sign that someone might be shadowing them. Perhaps, if his fears truly did have merit, Ranulf could, literally, sniff out the source. Failing that, Ranulf was sure to, also literally, joke the whole matter out of Ike's head.

As the fringe of jungle rose ahead, Ike and Soren viewed their maps once more and double-checked their compasses to get as firm a grip on their course and bearings as possible. The jungle canopy would block out the sun and the foliage could be confusing, so every precaution had to be taken to keep from getting lost. After the group advanced into the wilderness, they followed their planned route for some distance. As Soren had anticipated, they quickly found a game trail which offered easy passage. A few clumps of undergrowth intruded upon their path but these were easy enough to clear away by cutting them with the machetes and then parting them with sticks. The group continued on their journey until arriving in a large clearing. It was here that they set up camp and took a short rest. While the group ate lunch, Ike, Soren, and Titania discussed what to do first. From their location, the trail branched off in many directions and, not being experienced in jungle travel, the group had difficulty telling which trails were natural and would likely lead to water or other clearings, and which had been cleared, and thus could lead anywhere. At this, the trio agreed that there was only one option to take.

"Alright, everyone, from here on out, we're going to split up and search these trails for anything out of the ordinary," Ike announced. "No one is to stray too far until I say we're going deeper into the jungle. We don't want anyone getting lost. And remember, if anyone sees laguz, ask them about Ranulf."

"We'll also be turning in for the night at dusk," Titania added. "So, try to be back here before then and remember those tips we discussed back at the fort."

As usual, Shinon grumbled, but Titania silenced him.

"Wait!" Rhys piped up. "Before you go, you should take these."

With that, the sickly Priest removed a collection of what looked like small vials, each filled with some sort of yellowish powder and strung on a loop of leather. Ike donned his puzzled but trusting in Rhys, and when his curiosity got the better of him, he uncorked the flask.

Two seconds later, he couldn't breathe. A hideously strong, skunk-like odor wafted out of the flask and into his nostrils and, within moments, Ike's eyes were watering from the offending odor.

"Oh, man! My eyes are watering. And I can't breathe!"

"Jeez, that smells worse than Gatrie when he doused himself with snake oil!" Shinon gasped out, apparently having made the same mistake.

"I think I'm gonna hurl!" Boyd wheezed out as the smell turned him green.

"By the Goddess' left boob, what _is_ this stuff?" Mia whined, the smell making her cough.

"Rhys, if this is some sort of practical joke, it's not funny," Oscar chimed in, cringing from the odor but still sounding his civil self.

"Sorry about that," Rhys apologized. "I probably should've warned you. It's no prank though, that stuff is the powder of a plant called Stinkweed."

"Lives up to the name," Elincia commented as she pinched her nose shut against the stench.

"Well, I read about how the mosquitoes and other insects in the jungle carry diseases, and how many of them can be fatal. Stinkweed is the strongest bug repellent known to man."

"'Bug repellent?' Try 'everything repellent!'" Ike groused.

With foul moods, and even fouler aromas, the group nonetheless carried on. Within minutes, the mercenaries had grabbed their rucksacks and began exploring the nearby trails. After a time, Ike's nose had become numb to the Stinkweed, or the odor had made his nose simply shrivel up and fall off, he couldn't tell which, and he turned his focus back to the search. Ike suspected, however, that his father's clues could be hidden anywhere in the country, perhaps even near the distant shores to the west or south. He had no idea where Greil had lived during his time in Gallia, and there was no telling whether or not the home he lived in was occupied or even still standing. For all Ike knew, he could very well find his next clue in a pile of rubble, or even discover that it hadn't survived at all. Nonetheless, he vowed to find Ettard, no matter how long it took.

Not more than a few minutes later, however, Boyd's trek down one of the wider trails nearby had led him to another trail which also branched off in all directions. He grumbled, thinking it would be a year or so before anyone would locate Ettard at this rate. However, his annoyance was forgotten when he spotted a dark, fairly large figure lying on the side of a nearby path. Thinking it was probably dead game that the laguz had hunted for meat, Boyd shrugged it off at first. However, as he was about to pass by, his peripheral vision caught a gleam coming from the prone form…a metallic gleam. He looked closer at the form, and realizing what it actually was, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Holy… IKE! OVER HERE! QUICK!" Boyd shouted fearfully. "We've got big trouble!"

"What?" Ike shouted from somewhere to the left. "Hang on! I'm on my way!"

Ike then made his way through the woods quickly, being careful not to tear his clothes, or worse, the skin underneath, on any of the sharp branches and thorns. However, he nearly fell over when he reached Boyd's path and joined the green-haired warrior. As with his comrade, Ike's eyes widened when he saw what Boyd had discovered lying on the path. The body of a man was sprawled out in the dirt on his stomach, in a pool of his own blood. A cloak covered most of his body, but his build was definitely that of a grown male.

"What the—?" Ike exclaimed, rushing over to the body. The other mercenaries soon followed.

"Oh my goddess! Why would anyone do this?" Titania wondered aloud.

"We'll figure out the details later, let's just help—" Ike started, but trailed off when he turned the man over and saw his face.

When the Greil Mercenaries realized who the man in Ike's arms was, gasps escaped every one of their mouths.

"I...I don't believe it!" Ike gasped, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "Jerec!"

"Oh no!" Elincia sobbed, tears forming in her eyes. "I thought that cloak looked familiar! Jerec was wearing it when he visited me!"

"Damn it all!" Ike opined angrily. "I know he's from Daein, and we didn't exactly start off on the right foot, but he never did anything to deserve this! Rhys, get over here!"

"I'm coming!" the frail healer replied. "Oh my! That's a lot of blood!"

Rhys hadn't been kidding. Blood stained nearly all of Jerec's tattered red tunic, his dark brown cloak, and one leg of his gray pants. The blood on the ground had seeped into the other pant leg as well.

"He's been stabbed in the side of his stomach, his upper left arm, and his left leg," Rhys analyzed as he opened Jerec's clothes. "There are numerous bruises all over him too. But… Oh my goddess… He has a pulse! Ike, he's still alive!"

"Are you serious?" Boyd blurted, astonished. "He looks worse than Ike did after that boulder fell on him!"

Startled, Ike pressed two fingers against the Halberdier's neck and, to his astonishment, a faint throbbing of life greeted him.

"Incredible," he murmured. "Let's not press our luck though. Rhys, you're the healer, what can do for him?"

"Here? Not much. We should move him, an open wound can get badly infected in this place."

"Alright, then let's get him back to camp, and fast!" Ike ordered. "Someone give me a hand here!"

"I'm on it!" Oscar replied and quickly helped Ike haul Jerec back to their campsite. Rhys advised them to be extremely careful so the wounds were not ripped open even more than they already were and that above all, they were not to try to move Jerec through the undergrowth. Between the wounds Jerec had already suffered, any one of which could become infected, one wrong move could cause that faint heartbeat to stop in an instant. And, although Rhys did not say so, depending on how much blood Jerec had lost prior to being found, it might already be too late. As he quickly, but carefully helped carry Jerec's body, Ike prayed this was not the case.

Within a few short minutes, Jerec was placed in a section of Rhys's tent that was used for such purposes. After Rhys had healed the Halberdier's injuries, cleaned him up, and draped a spare blanket and mosquito net over him, he grimly informed the others that all they could do was wait and hope for the best. Ike, Elincia, Soren, Titania, Oscar, and Mist contemplated on what could have happened to Jerec while the others continued exploring various trails.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think the laguz did this just because he's from Daein!" Titania angrily decided. "It would explain why none of them came to his aid!"

"Not necessarily," Oscar countered. "A lot of that blood was still wet, which means Jerec had to have been attacked fairly recently. He might not have been there long enough for one of the laguz to find him. Also, I doubt anyone would be able to identify him as a Daein citizen easily. His attire is common enough, and there's nothing there to indicate he's from Daein. Either he's stripped his old armor and clothes or any emblems or he's bought new apparel. Anyone could wear the get up he had on."

"Indeed," Soren added. "And, loathe though I am to admit it, the laguz are likely not responsible. King Caineghis forbade his tribe from fighting with beorc and it's no secret that his decrees are well enforced."

"Yeah, but nothing says laguz can't do something like this without Caineghis' finding out about it," Titania argued. "Even though King Ramon forged an alliance with King Caineghis, Crimeans still attacked beast laguz sometimes and vice versa, remember? Killing someone and hiding the body would be easy enough to do for the beast tribe; they're all natural hunters."

"But Jerec wasn't exactly well-hidden," Ike pointed out. "Besides, the laguz would be smart enough to know where to hide a body after they've attempted a murder. They wouldn't leave the body out in the open like that unless they were using it for bait, and nothing popped out when we all got in close."

"Well, I suppose that's true…"

"But could the laguz have been bandits?" Mist suggested.

"Probably not," Soren replied. "Laguz bandits are pretty rare."

"But there're no beorc here besides us," Titania countered.

"That might not be true," Ike decided. "That old hunter did tell Soren that there were other beorc besides us crazy enough to come and go from this place. Still, the laguz seem to be the most likely culprits right now, as much as I hate to admit it. I have no doubt Lethe would do something like this should she get angry enough."

Ike then recalled how Lethe, a fiery cat laguz, had ordered her subordinate, a tiger laguz named Mordecai, to kill Soren. The wind mage had provoked the pair in Gebal Castle, the place the Greil Mercenaries had rested in after arriving in Gallia during the Mad King's War, and Ike had nearly been disemboweled when he stepped between the antagonists. Gebal Caste was the same place Greil himself had died in, and only swift reflexes and luck had prevented Ike from following suit.

"Maybe," Oscar agreed. "But we can't know for sure unless Rhys is able to identify what kind of weapon made those wounds. Telling a sword wound from claw marks should be doable, right Rhys?"

"…Unfortunately, not in this case," Rhys somberly replied. "These wounds have opened up and bled too much. As far as I'm concerned, they could've been made with anything from a big axe to a cat's claws. But I do know that these are slashing wounds, so it couldn't have been magic."

"Damn!" Ike opined, kneeling and punching the ground. "Beorc or laguz, whoever did this will pay! All Jerec wanted was a fresh start, to live a peaceful life! I don't know if I can ever forgive myself if he doesn't make it…"

"Neither do I…" Elincia sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks. "But if the worst should happen… Jerec was a good man. I know you didn't see it, Ike, but we were all astonished when he helped carry you to the cave after you fainted on the mountain."

"I have to agree," Oscar replied, closing his eyes in prayer.

"Yeah, even if he was a bit of a jerk at first," Mist added, sniffling.

"Wait, you guys!" Rhys suddenly gasped. "Look at this!"

The somber assembly turned to face the healer who was holding a piece of folded parchment speckled with blood. To their astonishment, Rhys unfolded it to reveal that it was the letter that Greil had written to Ike, the same letter that had inexplicably gone missing that morning.

"What the hell?" Ike exclaimed, his jaw dropping.

"When I was removing some of his clothes to clean up the blood, I found it in his satchel!" Rhys replied.

"That does it! Jerec has a lot of explaining to do when he wakes up!" Titania angrily blurted.

"_If_ he wakes up," Soren corrected.

"Oh come on! You guys can't possibly think _he_ stole Dad's letter!" Mist protested.

"Yeah, let's not jump to conclusions here," Oscar added.

"I-I agree," Elincia put in. "Jerec is pretty hot-tempered, but he would never do such a thing!"

"As much as I want to believe that, we can't rule out the possibility of him being the thief until he explains himself," Ike decided, his tone softening when he saw Elincia's troubled expression. "I don't believe he's a thief, but I _do _want to get his side of the story. We'll talk to him when he's feeling better. He _will_ get better, right Rhys?"

"Fortunately, yes," Rhys confirmed. "He's much less likely to die now that I've healed his wounds and applied the disinfectants, anyway. We just need to hope he didn't lose too much blood before Boyd found him."

"Alright then," Ike replied. _Please tell me there's some other explanation, Jerec… I don't know what I'd say or do if you really had…_

With that, a silence descended upon the group. As they waited for Jerec to awaken, they tried to avoid speculating on how he'd obtained the letter...and largely failed. However, Ike's mind too was constantly awhirl with questions about Jerec's situation and he simply could not find answers. If the beast laguz turned out to be innocent, then who attacked him, and why? In fact, why was Jerec even in Gallia in the first place? Back when he and Ike had first met, he held great antipathy towards the laguz, though he had seemed to lessen his prejudice against them after the conflict with Arius had ended. The biggest question on Ike's mind, however, was how had Jerec gotten a hold of Greil's letter? If the letter had been clean, Ike would've called that a dead giveaway that the letter had been planted on Jerec by someone else, likely after the Halberdier was attacked. Or, if the letter had been soaked through with blood, Ike would be forced to concede that Jerec likely was the thief. Instead, the letter's condition told him nothing about Jerec's guilt or innocence, which made the matter all the more aggravating. And, if Jerec _had_ been the one who broke into Titania's room, why would he have done it? He was a lancer, so he'd have no use for Ettard. Or maybe he wanted to sell it? Then again, if that was his motive, why would Jerec even mention the blade to Ike? _And Jerec can't be dumb enough not to assume that I'd go looking for the sword if I knew it existed_, Ike thought. _There's just no way…__and _that's_ not factoring in that he'd have needed to know that we found the letter and where the secret compartment in Titania's room was._

Ike shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of these thoughts. He just wished Jerec would wake up already so he could tell them something. Surprisingly enough, however, Ike soon got his wish.

"Unnnh… " a faint voice echoed. Jerec's eyes had fluttered open.

"Jerec! You're awake already?" Ike gasped, rushing to the Halberdier's side. The others quickly followed. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

Jerec was awake, but he was clearly unwell. His body trembled and shivered and his eyes, seemingly glazed over, kept darting in all directions.

"I…Ike…" Jerec uttered, his voice almost seeming delirious. "Don't…fall victim… Don't let…them get it…"

"What are you talking about? Fall victim to what? Who is 'them?'" Ike inquired fearfully.

Instead of replying, however, Jerec merely grimaced.

"Come on, man! Stay with me!" Ike demanded, only to have the lancer fall back motionless again. "Jerec, NO! ...DAMN IT!"

"Ike, don't worry, he still has a pulse," Rhys assured after bringing a finger to Jerec's neck. "He doesn't seem well, though. Perhaps the disinfectants need more time to cleanse his system or maybe he needs a larger dose."

"It doesn't matter anymore..." Ike replied, his anger growing as he hovered over the floor on his hands and knees. "Whether Jerec lives or not, something bad's happening and he suffered for it when he shouldn't have!"

At this, no one could say anything. All the others could do was think of how right their commander was and hope they could make sense of Jerec's words soon...before it was too late.


	10. The Secret Sword: Part 3

**Falchion1984: **In case anybody's wondering, 'Brain Fever' is the Victorian era term for what we now called Meningitis/Encephalitis. And, the various herbs that Ranulf mentions are derived from items from an herbal treatment regimen for these conditions. They are as follows: Emerald Dream (Green Tea), Sparrowhawk Nail (Cat's Claw), Stomach Turner (Garlic), White Crest (Astragalus) and Summer's Snow (Elderberry). There's also a WarCraft III reference in here, see if you can find it.

**EmblemQueen:** Thanks to Falchion1984 for all of the great ideas he mentioned above!

Part 3: Clues and Trouble Abound

After Jerec had lapsed back into a feverish slumber, the group dispersed to busy themselves as best they could. Soren, Titania and Rhys began pouring over both the old hunter's notes and Rhys's material on the jungle and its myriad plagues, searching for some clue as to what might be afflicting Jerec. Boyd and Mia, as always, were keen for some sparring but Rhys talked them out of it since open wounds could swiftly become infected, and thus the two just sat and sulked. Oscar and Mist passed out some rations while Rolf and Elincia tended the horses. Ike, meanwhile, sat alone by the fire in deep contemplation. Many questions were whirling about in his head, not the least of which being whether or not Jerec would survive. Beyond that, however, Ike was bewildered as to why Jerec was in Gallia in the first place and what had happened to him. All Jerec had managed to say was 'don't fall victim, don't let them get it,' which wasn't much to go on. Still, Ike had a strong feeling that the 'it' referred to none other than Ettard.

How he knew, he could not say. In fact, he couldn't even be sure that Jerec was thinking clearly when he spoke, as the heat or an illness, or both, could have left him delirious. And yet, the more Ike tried to tell himself that there was no connection between Ettard and Jerec's reemergence, the less he was convinced. If thieves or bandits had discovered the blade's existence, then, they would surely seek it out. As far as anyone knew, after all, it was a powerful, one of a kind blade and would probably be priceless to the right buyer.

Perhaps Jerec had reached that same conclusion?

Ike did not want to even _consider_ that possibility, but he knew that he had to. It would certainly explain why Jerec had the letter. And, as much as Ike hated to admit it, he could discern a very likely motive for Jerec to want to steal Ettard. With his self-imposed exile from Daein, Jerec was likely looking to begin anew and was in need of money. Perhaps Jerec was too proud to ask Elincia for charity but was not above thievery? If Ettard was even half as valuable as Jerec had implied, one could sell it for enough to finance a very comfortable retirement. Ike very much wanted to believe that Jerec was innocent, but _that_ opened up the question of how he came to be in possession of the letter and who else might be after Ettard. And, on top of all this, Ike still had no idea who had attacked Jerec in the first place.

_ My head hurts!_ Ike inwardly complained, aggravated by this latest enigma.

It seemed as though, for every clue or possibility that Ike came up with, more questions arose to take their places. So many things seemed possible, while so many others made absolutely no sense. As the day wore on, and the prospect of sitting around and waiting for news became less and less appealing, several of the mercenaries backtracked to where Jerec had been found to see if any clues might be discovered. As night fell, they returned and reported that they had found nothing. This was disappointing, but hardly surprising. Even if Jerec's assailant hadn't covered his tracks, the confusing and hazardous jungle and the mercenaries' scant knowledge of the terrain likely hid the trail better than any person could. To make matters worse, Jerec had still not awoken. Though Rhys's hourly checkups proved that the Halberdier still had a heartbeat, Jerec showed no signs of stirring since his earlier, feverish episode. Rhys was clearly growing more and more worried and he eventually voiced the possibility of Jerec having contracted Brain Fever. As the named implied, it caused a severe inflammation in the brain…which could prove fatal.

"But how is that possible?" Titania wondered. "Jerec had no open wounds in his head, so that rules out the infection getting through a cut."

"Well, Brain Fever can also be caused by massive trauma to the head. And, the bruises and bumps that were on his face and scalp could indicate a severe enough injury," Rhys countered. "These blows combined could possibly have been enough to cause inflammation of brain. Brain Fever can also cause the victim to go into a coma, which appears to be the case here."

"Go on," Ike urged, already suspected what the prognosis would be.

"Assuming my diagnosis is correct," Rhys began somberly, "which, I hope it isn't, then Jerec will either remain as he is now or he will wake up and display the symptoms of Brain Fever. These would include overpowering headaches, extreme sensitivity to light, pain in the neck, poor appetite, vomiting, disorientation, convulsions, personality changes, confusion, hallucinations, exhaustion, uncontrollable bouts of crying—"

"Okay, we get the idea!" Boyd cut in impatiently. "So, what can we do if he does have Brain Fever?"

"Well, that's just it. There _is_ no remedy. I wish to emphasize that I don't know if Jerec has Brain Fever, but if this is the case, it'll only be a short time before he is gone."

"Oh…" Elincia uttered, her fears growing.

Ike merely grimaced, trying vainly to shrug off the thought that Jerec might be beyond help. Ike had seen death before, more times than he wanted to remember, during the Mad King's War…but standing over the body of an enemy was one thing.

Standing over the body of a friend was quite another.

His still buzzing thoughts roiled anew, and seemed to demand motion. He rose, pacing in a vain effort to calm himself, but then turned towards the edge of the camp.

"Ike, where are you going?" Mist wondered.

"Just for a walk," Ike replied. "I…need to clear my head."

"In the jungle at night?" Boyd interjected. "Are you nuts?"

"It's so dark out now," Elincia concurred. "Will you at least let me go with you?"

Ike simply sighed.

"I don't know…"

Whatever else Ike was about to say was cut off when a low moaning sounded from within the infirmary tent. Oscar, who was closest, vaulted to his feet and ran through the dangling flaps.

"Ike, wait! I think Jerec is waking up again!" he blurted.

"Huh?" Ike replied, moving to follow. Sure enough, as Ike entered the makeshift infirmary Jerec's eyes slowly fluttered open once more. The former Daein captain groaned, took several energetic swipes at something unseen in front of his face and then rose to a sitting position. Hopefully this time, the Halberdier would remain awake…and Rhys' dire prognosis would be disproven. Ike knelt to Jerec's level as the lancer brought a hand to his head, rubbing at his temples and grimacing all the while.

"Jerec!" Ike started. However, Jerec interrupted before he could continue.

"Nnnh… Huh? Ugh, why do I smell so bad?" he uttered, though his voice was rather weak. "And why do you smell even worse, Ike?"

"Nice to see you too," Ike replied, glaring at the wall. "Anyway, it's a powder made from a plant called stinkweed. It's supposed to be the most powerful known bug repellent in the world. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Eventually. Maybe."

"Psh, I hope so," Jerec replied, trying to ignore the stench and still massaging his temples.

Ike tried to dismiss this action, but without much success.

Rhys _did_ say that acute headaches were a symptom of Brain Fever.

As if the thought had been a summoning, the healer burst into the room with a lantern in hand…and his appearance gave Ike still more cause for concern. As Jerec's eyes reluctantly opened, and his gaze spied the brightly glowing lantern, he let out a howl and threw his arms in front of his face.

"What, what's wrong?" Rhys blurted in alarm, racing over to Jerec's side with the lantern still in hand, causing it to dangle no more than an inch in front of Jerec's nose.

"Get that goddess-damned light out of my face!" Jerec snapped, his arms flailing wildly.

Rhys doused the light, but the darkness did little to hide the priest's look of worry. Ike could tell, because he felt it as well. Jerec had shown at least two symptoms in as many minutes. Ike was no physician, but he could tell that this was a bad sign.

"Anyway, how did I get here?" Jerec inquired after he had calmed himself. "And why are you guys here? And why the hell am I half-naked?"

"Boyd found you unconscious in the jungle," Ike explained. "Rhys had to remove some of your clothes to treat your wounds. And we're trying to find my father's sword. You told me about it, remember?"

"Uh… Oh, right!"

There was a hesitation in Jerec's voice, as if his recollection of that discussion was clouded. But, was it lingering disorientation from his close call or was it because his brain was frying itself like an overcooked steak? Ike shook off the thought and continued.

"Yeah. Now, mind telling me why _you're_ in Gallia of all places?"

"And how did you get Commander Greil's letter?" Titania demanded.

"And who hurt you so badly?" Rhys inquired. "You were lying in the middle of a game trail bleeding all over the place!"

"Guys, come on, he's still weak! Don't pressure him!" Elincia interrupted.

"Yeah, Ike! I'd think even you should know better than that!" Mist reprimanded.

"What they said," Jerec added. "I don't mind explaining myself, but damn, let me pull myself together first! My head, my eyes and my neck are all killing me."

"Alright, I apologize, but you're aware that we have a lot of questions for you, right?" Ike replied, still fighting down that insistent inner voice that told him that Jerec was showing still another symptom.

"Of course. Can I have my cloak back though? I'm freezing."

"Sure thing," Ike agreed, handing the garment over to Jerec, who seemed to be shivering despite a sheen of sweat on his brow.

"We have some water if that will make you feel better," Rhys suggested. "And feel free to put your clothes back on as well."

"There's also food if you need it," Elincia added.

"You're most gracious, your majesty," Jerec replied, more amused than surprised that the queen had joined in on this escapade. "I'm really not hungry though."

"When was the last time you ate?" Rhys inquired, his ever sickly face turning pale.

"Now that you mention it that _was_ a while ago. Maybe around noon yesterday?"

"That's quite a while, you should eat something," Elincia insisted.

"True. But, like I said, I just don't feel hungry."

_ That's five symptoms and he hasn't even been awake for ten minutes!_ Ike realized, suddenly afraid.

Elincia seemed to catch Ike's look of concern, but nonetheless passed Jerec several pieces of dried meat and a canteen of water. He ate some of it, though it looked as if he was practically choking the morsels down.

"Jerec!" Ike cut in frustrated.

"Alright, I'll talk. This stuff isn't going down well anyway."

"Jerec, Ike, hold on," Elincia insisted, shooting a glare at Ike. "Whatever you have to say can wait. Jerec's just recovering from some serious injuries!"

"No, it's fine, your majesty. They're within their rights to know why I'm here."

Here, Jerec paused and let his gaze drift between Ike and Elincia as a wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Well Ike, no one ever accused you of being a boring man. Still, this _is_ an odd place to gallivant off to with your girlfriend."

"Jerec, just explain yourself," Ike growled in aggravation.

"And you can't tell _anyone_ about that! Understand?" Elincia added.

"Okay, okay, sheesh. Anyway, it's a long story, so listen carefully."

"Of course. First though, do you remember what you said when you awoke earlier?" Ike inquired. "You were, well, kinda out of it. But do you remember anything?"

Jerec's brow furrowed and several minutes of silence passed before he snapped his fingers.

"Yeah, kind of. Some of it's a little fuzzy, but what I do remember is important."

"Alright. Start from the beginning and tell us what happened."

"Of course. Sometime after I visited Queen Elincia, I heard about a few villages in the south. They were having problems with bandits and were looking to hire some mercenaries," Jerec began. "I'd already made my decision to leave Daein behind, but I also knew I'd have to find some way to make a living. So, I figured I'd try my hand at mercenary work for awhile. I began my journey to…what _was_ the name of that village anyway? I remember it was right about where the Crimea-Gallia border meets the coastline, but I'm drawing a blank on the name."

"Never mind that, go on," Ike insisted, trying vainly to dismiss Jerec's lapse of memory.

"I still had my armor with me, but I'd removed it and was carrying it in a saddle bag. I didn't have the heart to get rid of it, as it was the armor my father gave me when I officially became a Daein soldier. At first, I wanted to keep it as memento of…past times, but sentimentality doesn't count for much against a sore back and an aching shoulder from lugging it around everywhere. Plus, I knew that if I accidentally let someone see it, they'd know I came from Daein. And you can guess what would happen after that. I left the road and found a stretch of coastline. There were these two palm trees that curved towards each other, and I buried the saddlebag with the armor there, hoping no one would find it."

"And what does this have to do with who attacked you?"

"Be patient, I'm getting to that. Anyway, as I finished burying my armor, I heard voices in the distance. When I followed the sounds, I saw a group of men who appeared to be bandits. After I finished burying the armor, I crept closer to listen to what they were saying. One of them was holding a sheet of parchment in his hand."

"The letter!" Oscar realized.

"Exactly. I didn't know it at first, though. I heard them talking about the note and how it told of an "extraordinary treasure" hidden somewhere by Greil and that the first clue to its whereabouts was in Gallia. One of the bandits was gloating about how easy it was to steal the letter right out of your mercenary fort while he was poking around for something valuable. I had a suspicion about what the treasure was, so I secretly followed the bandits to the border. They rendezvoused with their boss and more bandits along the way."

"Let me guess, you stole the letter back from them?" Mist wondered.

"Yeah, but it's not that simple," Jerec countered. "When we crossed the border into Gallia, keeping up with them got tricky. I swear, I don't know how the laguz make sense of all these winding trails. Anyhow, after a very unpleasant time, I struck upon the bandits' trail and followed them deeper into the jungle. Then, I saw them come upon another person in a nearby clearing. At first glance, I thought it might be another bandit but then I saw that it was a laguz. It was one of the strangest laguz I'd ever seen though. She was clearly a cat laguz woman, and an elderly one at that. She was wearing what looked like the head of a stag, and there was clusters of feathers and seashells and bones and goddess only knows what else dangling from leather cords tied to the antlers."

"A shaman, no doubt," Titania spoke up. "I saw several during my time here many years ago. The shaman you saw, if her headdress was _that_ elaborate, then she must be high ranking."

"Okay," Ike said, wondering if the bandits or the shaman, or both, might have been Jerec's assailant. "These bandits came upon the shaman. Then what?"

"Well, at the time, she was gathering meat from the carcass of a small bird. Though, whether it was dinner or to add to whatever the hell she was wearing, I don't even want to think about it. Anyhow, the boss of the group of bandits then shouted at her 'hey sub-human! Tell us what you know about the mercenary who was known as Greil!' And then, well…"

"All hell broke loose?" Ike inquired with wicked humor.

"Yup. The woman, naturally, didn't like their choice of words, but insisted that she knew nothing about Greil and that her…ritual, I guess? Well, she said she had important things to do and no time for interloping idiots. However, the bandits wouldn't take no for an answer."

Jerec went on to explain that the bandits, deciding to make their case more forcefully, tried to grab the shaman but she had proven far stronger than her elderly appearance would have suggested. She managed to claw one bandit about the face and use her headdress's antlers to gore a second before Jerec made himself known and joined the fight. Jerec had never been afraid of combat, a trait which, he mentioned, had gotten him into no small amount of trouble, but he'd never forgotten that his father had taught him that a true warrior always protects the defenseless. Since meeting Ike, Jerec had decided that the same held true for the laguz. As he fought, Jerec had tried to stay near the shaman but the enemy had managed to divide them and the shaman was cut down. Jerec, meanwhile, had noticed that the thief that shaman had gored was clutching the letter. Jerec had managed to grab it but, despite having taken wounds, the remaining bandits overwhelmed him and demanded that he give the note back to them. Jerec, who had by then been on his knees and bleeding badly, handed them a folded sheet of parchment. The bandits then raced off, not bothering to unfold the sheet and examine it. Had they done so, they might have discovered that the only thing written on the parchment was an insult directed at the bandits for their lack of common sense.

Once they were gone, Jerec clambered over to the wounded shaman. She had been cut up badly and was bleeding heavily but, to Jerec's astonishment, she was still alive.

"It turned out that the woman was playing dead so the bandits would leave," Jerec went on. "I asked if there was anything I could do for her, but she insisted that her time was growing very short. What she said next, however, really surprised me. She asked me if I knew a young beorc man named Ike."

"Me?" Ike wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. I told her that I did meet you once. She then asked me to tell you something if I ever saw you again. The woman said that she was a member of a small group of laguz shamans and that she had helped your mother give birth to both you and Mist. The woman hadn't known Greil too well, but she never forgot the image of you as an adorable tiny baby in your mother's arms and then a little boy when your mother came back to have Mist. She wanted you to know that she adored you both."

"Wow… Really?" Ike replied, struck by wonderment and sadness alike in this tale.

"Indeed. I wished there was something I could have done to help her, but after those bandits had disarmed me, they picked me clean. They took my lance, my coin purse, and the rucksack which contained my food, water and medicines. So, there wasn't much I could do. Then, I realized that you might have seen the letter before those thugs stole it. And if so, there was a chance I'd find you nearby. Unfortunately, I didn't get far. Everything started spinning and then, when I woke up, I was here."

"I see."

"It looks like it's been at least a few hours since then," Jerec remarked somberly.

"Nearly half a day," Rhys corrected.

"…I'm sorry Ike, but there's little chance that shaman survived this long."

Ike took this news with a grim nod, wishing to dispute Jerec's dire prediction and yet unable to see what he could do. Mist's eyes brimmed with tears and she buried her face in Elincia's tunic while the queen stroked her friend's back and sniffled. There was some sobbing from the two ladies and some quiet discussion over whether or not trying to find the wounded shaman would be possible, but Titania silenced everyone with her next words.

"I'm not buying it."

As the words left her lips, a curious expression came over Jerec's face. After a moment of gaping in shock, his lips peeled away from his teeth and he vaulted to his feet.

"You've got a lot of gall, calling me a liar!" Jerec snarled, startling everyone in the tent with the sudden outburst.

"You have nothing to support your claims! So if we find out you're lying and you did steal that letter—!"

"I did _not_ drag my bleeding carcass through a mile of mud to be insulted by you, bitch!"

"Why you—!"

Before Ike could intervene, the Halberdier drew back a fist and, with more force than Ike would've guess Jerec could muster, punched Titania in the jaw. The paladin staggered back, nearly falling over backwards, and crimson began to leak from her jaw.

"Oh, _now_you're in for it!" Titania growled.

Jerec swung again, though this time Titania ducked under the blow. She was about to scythe Jerec's legs out from under him when, to her surprise, he suddenly fell to the ground. Ike raced over, turning the Halberdier over, and feeling his alarm growing all the more. Jerec stared back at him, his eyes glazed over, but then he seemed to shake himself back to attention. His anger was gone and, on his face instead, was a look of confusion.

"Where was I?" he asked no one in particular.

"I was about to—" Titania began hotly, but Ike interrupted.

"Titania, control yourself!" Ike cut in. "Jerec, you were talking about the laguz shaman that was wounded by the bandits. Are you sure there's little chance that that woman survived?"

"I don't know, but I doubt she did. She was hurt almost as badly as I was," Jerec reported. "If someone else found her, then she might have made it. Like I said though, I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"Hey, I practically make a living chasing lost causes…and catching them," Ike replied humorously. "Anyhow, we'll search around in the morning."

"Suits me fine. I feel so exhausted."

"You lost a lot of blood out there, but you should feel better after you've rested. I felt this way after Arius pulverized me, and I agree, it's not pleasant. You'll feel tired more easily and might get dizzy spells and such during recovery as well, so watch out."

"Thanks for the tip," Jerec replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I think I'll take it now."

With that, Jerec set himself upon the sleeping bag and seemed to doze off almost immediately. Once some rather raunchy snores confirmed that Jerec was asleep, Ike gestured for Rhys to follow him. The priest did so, with Elincia and a _very_ disgruntled Titania hot on his heels. Ike led the small group towards the far side of the camp and then, with a sober air, he turned to face Rhys.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

"He just clocked me in the jaw for no good reason!" Titania cut in, using the back of her hand to wipe away trickles of blood. "It'll be bad for him when he wakes up, especially if he did steal the letter."

"Titania, calm down," Ike ordered. "Rhys, you were right about him having Brain Fever, weren't you?"

"I'm afraid so, Commander," Rhys replied sadly. "It looks like he displayed eight, maybe nine symptoms since we found him."

"But, how could he show that many symptoms if he was only just infected?" Elincia wondered, more afraid than confused.

"I've been wondering the same thing," Rhys replied. "Either he became infected earlier than we thought, perhaps from trauma to the head or an infected cut or insect bite, or he has an advanced case. Either way, his prospects are grim."

"How long does he have?" Ike inquired, rather doubting he'd like the answer.

"No more than a few days. In fact, I'd be surprised if he makes it through the night."

"Oh no," Elincia uttered in little more than a whisper, hugging Ike's arm.

"I see," Ike answered grimly, drawing Elincia closer to him. "I think we should keep this to ourselves for now. If we can't do anything to help Jerec, let's at least try to keep him comfortable."

The mercenaries were not hesitant to agree, though Titania still seemed aggravated as they returned to their tents for the night. Elincia joined Ike in his own tent across from Rhys's. The healer had recommended that since Ike share his tent since he had not quite made a full recovery himself. When Elincia volunteered, however, Rhys seemed to be blushing at the idea…especially when Titania reminded the couple to "behave themselves." When the priest found his voice again, he recommended that Ike pitch his tent near the healer's to be on the safe side. Ike had no objection, so long as Elincia was with him. Besides, despite a hint of discomfiture at the idea an unmarried couple sharing a tent, Rhys was likely too busy with Jerec to offer any objections. Although Ike was usually more than happy to have Elincia was cuddled right next to him in her sleeping bag, Rhys's earlier words still bothered him. If the priest was right, Jerec was dying. This revelation pained him, for though the two had met on decidedly bad terms, they had become good friends after the battle against Arius. And, despite his surly manner, Jerec had proven himself to be a brave and honorable warrior. Now, he might only have a few hours left to live and there was nothing that could be done to help him.

"Ike, please stop worrying," Elincia interjected, her head rested on Ike's broad shoulder. "It's not going to help anything."

"I know, but I can't help it," Ike replied in a whisper, and gesturing for Elincia to keep her voice down as well. "I mean, I've seen a lot of people die, but it's been a long time since it was someone I…cared for."

Elincia's hand found his chin and she turned his head to look him in the eye.

"I know, and I understand. I lost my parents to Ashnard, remember? It happened right in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it. I just…cowered in the back while they died."

"I did worse," Ike countered. "If it hadn't been for Caineghis, the Black Knight probably would've killed me along with my father. It's just…finding Ettard doesn't seem as important now; not measured against what it's going to cost us. Maybe it would be best if we turned back now, so we can find somewhere decent to bury Jerec."

"No. Ike, listen to me. Jerec chased those bandits and stole back your father's letter because he wants you to find Ettard. If we can't cure him, then we should at least do what he wanted us to do. Maybe, just maybe, that would give him some comfort."

"Maybe you're right. It's just…Jerec doesn't deserve to go out like this. I'd like to meet the people responsible for this and give them a piece of my mind…and acquaint them with Ettard's edge."

"Now, that's more like the Ike I know and love. Sound thrashings for all!"

"We still have our work cut out for us though. Even if we do manage to get to my father's sword before these bandits do, we'll likely run into them sooner or later. We don't know how many of them there are or what weapons they use or anything else about them."

"That's true, but you have to have more confidence. Ike, I think you're one of the best swordsmen Crimea's ever seen."

"Eh, I don't know about that. I know I'm not inexperienced anymore, but…"

"'But?' Ike, you personally defeated all of Daein's finest warriors! Petrine, Bryce, Bertram, Ashnard, even the Black Knight! And that last one is saying something. No bandits could possibly be a match for you."

"Yeah, but what if they all ganged up on me at once? However tough I may be, I'm just one guy. We're all going to have to work together if we want to beat these creeps; after all, that _is_ how we won the war. One wrong move could always mean the end of us."

"Then it's a good thing we've got Soren. You often told me that as far as tacticians go, there is none better."

"Yeah, but Soren can only learn so much about these guys. And even he gets taken by surprise once in a while. Remember when we first arrived in the Gallian jungles while we were escorting you? Even he was shocked to see all those Daeins guarding the river crossing."

"True, but everything still worked out in the end. Ike, you just need to have more confidence and faith, like I said. I know that if Jerec was well, he'd gladly fight alongside you again, and that he'd want you to succeed."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We would have never won the war if we hadn't believed in ourselves and in you."

"Oh, I hardly did anything… I just hired you."

"And built an entire army!"

"But that army did the fighting. I might have put on some armor and hopped on Gwydion, but I never had the heart to kill a single person, and I still don't."

"But your healing skills helped a lot. And they still can if you brought a staff with you."

"Oh, um… The thing about that is… I forgot to bring one. Eh heh…"

Ike merely slapped his face.

"I'm sorry…" Elincia apologized.

"Well, it's not that big of a deal. We still have Rhys and Mist," Ike pointed out.

"True."

"And anyway, we all contributed to that victory, no matter how little anyone did."

"Heh, I can't argue with that."

Elincia smiled lovingly, allowing her hand to roam Ike's bare chest. As he stared at the ceiling of his tent, Ike couldn't help but smile himself. Somehow, his talk with Elincia had bolstered his confidence after all. If the group believed in one another and themselves and worked as a team, they could accomplish anything, no matter how difficult the task. Before pressing his lips into Elincia's hair, Ike spared another glance at the wall of the tent between him and Jerec, and remembered another reason not to give up.

There might not be anything Ike could do to save Jerec, but the blue-haired mercenary was not going to let a friend die in vain.

At first light the next morning, the camp awoke to begin their search. After a moment of hesitation, Ike disentangled himself from the still slumbering Elincia's arms and, after a second, longer moment of hesitation, entered the infirmary tent. The site of Jerec awake, and alive, caused Ike to let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. A relieved smile painted Ike's face but, when Jerec grumbled and rubbed at his head, it vanished.

"Oh, good morning," Jerec greeted as he spied Ike. "My head still feels like it's on fire, but I'm raring to go!"

"Glad to hear it," Ike said, trying not to let his worry show. "One thing I was wondering, do you remember anything more about those bandits?"

"I was wondering when you'd get around to asking that. But then again, a girlfriend is probably pretty demanding on your time, huh?" Jerec inquired, snickering at Ike's displeasure. "Anyway, those bandits are no laughing matter. They're a cut above the rest; their boss is very strong and the entire group is well practiced. When I fought against them, they battled as if they'd done it a hundred times. They knew what the others were doing and their attacks and defense were well coordinated. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I was fighting you and your men."

"People think our techniques are good enough to steal? I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or insulted."

"I hear that. From what I could gather, they apparently have a very good thief among them as well. Most of their group are fighters rather than thieves, probably for what people back in Daein call snatch-and-trap. The fast one steals the loot, but makes sure to be seen. The others get into position to attack whoever's chasing the thief and when the quarry is in the trap, they pounce. I _do_ think these guys are pretty cocky though, they didn't even bother to make sure that what they got from me was the letter they wanted. My guess is that they've probably discovered by now that the letter I gave them was a fake though."

"When you told us about how you first spotted them, you said they were talking about my father's "treasure." So, you think they know what the letter says?"

"Not a doubt in my mind. Odds are they'll be looking for me too. If they find us, we're in trouble. I don't much like the idea of Ettard being in their hands, not to mention they could hurt other beast laguz in the process."

There was the sound of a scoff coming from behind the two men, they turned and spied Titania standing in the doorway with her arms folded.

"Well, I've never seen you so concerned about the laguz before. Are you sure you're not just saying this to get us to believe you?"

Ike had half expected Jerec to fly off the handle as he had when Titania accused him last night but, to his astonishment, Jerec didn't seem to rise to the bait. Though, what he did instead wasn't much better.

"Ike, how _do_you manage to keep any customers with her around?" he asked with pointed sarcasm.

There was a taunting edge in his tone, one that Ike remembered from their decidedly unpleasant first meeting, and, despite the Halberdier's rudeness, Ike was relieved that the Brain Fever had spurred him to violence a second time. Titania, however, did not look as though she would back down so easily and Ike decided he ought to intervene.

"Titania, stop. We have no proof that Jerec did anything wrong."

"There's no proof that he didn't either," Titania pointed out.

"That's why we're going to see about this group of shamans that he mentioned. If they can tell us anything about the situation, not only could we find out if Jerec's story checks out, but we might also get clues to Ettard's whereabouts."

Titania's lips parted as if she was about to argue further, but then she seemed to calm down and nodded.

"True."

"And now, finding Ranulf is essential. I'd bet anything he'll at least know if these shamans exist."

"Commander!" Oscar called from beyond the tent. "The wagon's all set."

"Okay," Ike called back. "Let's get moving."

Ike then suggested that Jerec ride in the wagon. Aside from concerns about the Halberdier's condition, Ike also agreed with Jerec that the bandits would be looking for him and having their quarry in plain sight would be a bad idea. Jerec wasn't thrilled with the notion but ultimately agreed.

"What choice do I have? I can't go far by myself, feeling like crap and with my head spinning," Jerec replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You know…I guess what goes around, comes around. I helped rescue you a few weeks ago, Ike. Looks like you've returned the favor."

"Heh, yeah," Ike agreed with a smile. "Well, we have a busy day ahead of us. Let's get started."

By this time, the rest of the group was suited up and Rhys helped Jerec into the wagon. It didn't take long, however, for Jerec to show signs that his condition was worsening. As Ike had warned he would, Jerec ended up having a dizzy spell on the way to the wagon as well, forcing Oscar to give Rhys a hand. Then, just inside the wagon, Jerec claimed to have heard a sound coming from down the trail. No one else had heard anything and, when Boyd and Mia were ordered to check, they found nothing. Ike was worried that Jerec's symptoms were getting worse. After a moment of silent deliberation, Ike reaffirmed that Jerec would not want the mercenaries to abandon the search and Rhys promised he would continuously monitor the lancer's condition. Mist was unaware that Jerec's condition was terminal and, with her usual bright smile, insisted that she help in any way she could as well. Ike was a little surprised at this since Mist had initially seemed to dislike Jerec. But then again, the mercenary knew his sister was a forgiving person as well. He remembered how Mist had forgiven Nasir after he had stolen Lehran's Medallion from her to use as a bargaining chip to free his granddaughter, Ena. Mist had treasured the medallion more than anything else she owned, and yet she forgave the white dragon laguz so easily. Ike half wanted to deny her request, unwilling to risk letting her see Jerec's inevitable death, but he reconsidered. Mist had shown herself to be made of sterner stuff than her kindly demeanor would suggest. Besides, some brotherly instinct told him that Mist already knew that Jerec was dying and that she wanted to comfort him for that exact reason.

When the mercenaries departed their camp once more, Ike and Soren decided that the group would stay together this time in case they ran into the bandits Jerec warned them about. Despite his illness, Jerec still insisted that he point out where he'd met the elderly laguz shaman. Ike was dubious about this, given Jerec's earlier displays of hearing things and experiencing lapses in memory, but the Halberdier guided them to a clearing where combat had obviously occurred. There was quite a bit of blood on the turf, several trees around the edge had broken branches and there were clear boot prints in the exposed dirt. Curiously, there was no sign of the laguz shaman.

"Well, maybe someone did find that woman," Ike spoke up when the group arrived at the spot Jerec had directed them to. "She's nowhere to be seen. Are you sure this is the right place, Jerec? A lot of this jungle looks the same to me."

"I'm positive. I'll never forget what happened here," Jerec insisted, his voice weak from fatigue and shallow gasps beginning to punctuate his words. "I guess someone did find her after all… I wouldn't have bet on it but…then again… We're talking about…the laguz here…"

"True. But Jerec, tell me, how come you want to help us so badly? I mean, I get that you'd rather I had Ettard than those bandits, but I think there's more to it than that. And what made you start to care about the laguz? I'm pretty sure you didn't the last time we met."

"Well…" Jerec began, only to be cut off by a bout of coughing. "After I returned to Daein following the battle against Arius…well, I guess you've heard what they're saying about you these days. Times are hard in Daein and, sure enough, they decided to make you a scapegoat; somebody they could blame for problems they couldn't, or wouldn't, do anything about themselves. I could understand their frustration, especially with what Begnion was doing to them, but I was still disgusted with them. As I was leaving Daein, I thought, why should I believe anything those dirtbags are saying? Or have said, for that matter? They were wrong about you, they might be wrong about the laguz too. After all, Kiel and Sara proved that. While I was in Crimea, working with Queen Elincia to get supplies for Daein, I also saw the laguz working to rebuild the capital and the surrounding cities. And…I realized just how much better things would be…if more beorc and laguz worked together…"

"Yeah, I can definitely agree with that."

"But…what I always wondered…is why you went so far to help Daein after…what they did."

"That's simple. Only Ashnard and his followers were our enemies. We had no quarrel with the citizenry or any soldiers who didn't wish to fight us. And we still don't."

"…That makes sense."

Jerec let out a groan and rubbed at his temples, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. Ike's heart skipped a beat, as he half expected Jerec's final moments to be at hand. Ike sagged with relief when Jerec simply stopped rubbing and claimed that the pain had subsided.

"Ike, I think he should go back and rest now," Oscar spoke up from the wagon's driver seat.

"I agree. Jerec, go lay down. You look terrible. And standing around out here will probably only make you feel worse."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'm cold and I feel like my skull is about ready to burst."

"That's not good. But don't worry, Rhys and Mist will take care of you."

"Thanks…"

"I think I should be there too," Elincia spoke up, joining the two men.

Ike turned to face Elincia, keeping his expression neutral until his back was facing Jerec. Then, his stoic mask slipped to expose just how worried he was.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said, as quietly as he could.

"You let Mist tend to him," Elincia pointed out, her voice so soft that Ike barely heard it at all.

"And I might regret it."

"Ike, I've seen death before. I am not afraid."

"_Nobody_ is truly unafraid of death, we both know that."

Elincia's gaze drifted away and her eyes held a distant, sad look, no doubt reminded of seeing her own parents slain by Ashnard. Ike, regretting his words, was about to apologize for reminding her of that grief but then Elincia looked him full in the eye.

"You're right," she admitted. "But, you already mastered that fear a hundred times over. It's time I did the same. Besides, Jerec is a good man and he's a friend. I am not going to let him die alone."

Ike felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth at Elincia's unfailing kindness.

"I never could say no to you, could I?"

"Unless of course I was trying to talk you out of a meal."

"Very funny."

Despite the barb, Ike leaned in and captured Elincia's lips in a long kiss.

"I say again, you pick the strangest places to go out on a date," Jerec remarked, chuckling despite being in obvious pain.

"Oh, shut up," Ike shot back good naturedly.

With that, Jerec chuckled and retreated inside the wagon while Ike joined Titania and Soren near the head of the group.

"Well, now what do we do?" Titania wondered. "Just keep exploring?"

"Pretty much, I guess," Ike replied. "We'll at least look for Ranulf or someone else who can give us some insight on these shamans."

"Or directions to their retreat," Soren added.

"That too. Let's get going."

With that, the group carried on through the jungle. Not having any real clues as to whether or not the laguz shaman might have survived, the mercenaries could do little more than discern which signs indicated someone moving away from the battle, but in a different direction than Jerec had traveled. One such path soon presented itself, but the group had no idea if they'd struck upon the shaman's trail of that of the bandits. Several hours of wary hiking passed, but the tense silence was shattered, however, when a loud cracking noise echoed from above. Before anyone could say anything, a streak of blue lightning plunged from a tree above and landed right on Ike's back, sending him to the ground. The blue form was revealed to be Ranulf in his cat form. He reverted to his human form just after landing.

"DAAH!" Ike yelped, grimacing and seeing stars soon after. "What…just happened?"

"A certain blue cat laguz literally dropped in on you," Titania replied, folding her arms in annoyance. Elincia, who had jumped from the wagon to intervene, had jerked to a halt and cupped her mouth with her hands in mingled shock and amusement.

"Ugh…" Ranulf uttered, having been as dazed as Ike was from the impact against the mercenary's burly form. "Dang it…"

"Ranulf?" Ike replied, still grimacing with the weight on top of him. "I was hoping you'd drop in on us, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"…Huh? Ike! What in the world?" Ranulf blurted, suddenly springing up. "I'm so sorry! Let me help you!"

"Thanks…"

"Holy goddesses! Ike, you reek, man! Where have you been?" Ranulf exclaimed, holding his nose and grimacing after helping Ike to his feet.

"It's the stinkweed substance around my neck," Ike replied. "We're using it as a bug repellent."

"Must be powerful stuff. Yeesh…"

"Oh my! Are you two alright?" Elincia inquired, rushing over from nearby.

"Ah, hello, Queen Elincia. Seeing as Ike conveniently broke my fall, I'm not hurt," Ranulf replied.

"Well, my back will probably be killing me for a few hours, but other than that, just peachy," Ike added, rather testily.

"Sorry about that…"

"What were you doing up there anyway?" Ike wondered.

"Oh, I was trying to catch a bird. When I lunged for it, I slipped off the tree branch, fell onto another one, broke it, then landed on you," Ranulf replied, chuckling with embarrassment.

"I see…"

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Ranulf inquired.

"Ah, right. A few weeks ago, I learned that my father owned a unique sword called Ettard. Back before he robbed himself of his ability to wield a sword, it was his personal blade. Just after my mother died, he hid it and we're trying to find out where. A few days ago, we found a letter that my father left me, explaining that this sword was hidden somewhere and that the first clue to its whereabouts was somewhere in Gallia. We came here to find that clue, but we don't have much to go on. I thought you might be able to give us a hand."

"Hmm, I'm not sure. All I know of Sir Greil came from his majesty King Caineghis. And as you know, that's not much. Still, if you'd like my help, I'll do whatever I can. I'd never back down from helping a friend in need."

"I understand. Thanks, Ranulf," Ike replied with a smile.

"One thing though," Ranulf said with a quick sniff of the air. "Who's the new guy?"

Ike's gaze strayed downward at the mention of his dying friend, but he tried to keep his voice steady, though without much success.

"Ah...yes...that's Jerec. I met him a few weeks ago on a mission for Queen Elincia."

At the mention of the queen, Ranulf's eyebrows rose a moment and then a snicker escaped his lips.

"Oh, now don't bother with the honorifics. I'm on to you."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"I keep forgetting you beorc have a, to put it mildly, unimpressive sense of smell. Her scent is _all_ over you."

At this, Ike colored with embarrassment and, although his back was to her, he didn't doubt that Elincia was blushing as well.

"Don't worry," Ranulf reassured. "Your secret's safe with me. So, how come this Jerec guy isn't introducing himself yet?"

"Well, that's a long story. We found him unconscious and bleeding in the jungle the other day, and now he's really ill. His injuries have already been healed, but he hasn't shown any improvement. We're afraid Jerec might have Brain Fever."

At this, Ranulf's expression became uncharacteristically serious.

"Mind if I take a look at him?"

"Go ahead, but try not to disturb him. I…I don't think he has much time left."

Ranulf nodded his understanding and lopped over to the wagon. Ike was idly wondering if Jerec was coherent enough to notice that a laguz, one of the people he'd once hated, was sharing his final moments. He pondered whether or not Jerec would appreciate the irony or if Ranulf could recognize Jerec as being from Daein. What Ike was not expecting was for Ranulf to groan irritably and utter the word "Figures."

That word, and the seeming callousness underlying it, shook Ike back to reality like a pail of cold water dumped over his head. He turned and, sure enough, Ranulf was lopping back towards Ike and seemingly oblivious to the blue haired mercenary's umbrage.

"I swear, some beorc can be real dumb sometimes," he opined sourly. "You'd think they'd know you don't come here without some Emerald Dream on hand."

"Have you no respect?" Ike howled. "The man is dying, he's getting worse by the hour and you just…wait, what did you just say?"

"Emerald Dream," Ranulf repeated, rolling his eyes. "It also helps to keep some Sparrowhawk Nail, Stomach Turner, White Crest and Summer's Snow on hand."

"I've…never heard of any of this stuff," Ike admitted, though he felt a twinge of hope at what Ranulf seemed to be implying.

"Nor have I," Rhys spoke up, vainly flipping through one of his tomes on medicines. "Not one of the bunch."

"Seriously? Wow, you beorc _are_ behind the times."

"Will you just shut up and listen?" Ike thundered. "Are you telling me _you_ can treat him?"

"How am I supposed to answer you if you want me to shut up? Anyway, I probably couldn't cure a case like this, but if we get him to the shamans' retreat, they can probably help him."

Ranulf had barely finished the sentence when Ike shouted for the other mercenaries to march faster and told Ranulf to take the lead.

"Don't everybody thank me at once," Ranulf grumbled, but he decided to let the matter slide since a life was at stake.

With Ranulf guiding the way, the group headed toward the shamans' retreat as fast as they could manage. Along the way, Ike quickly explained to Ranulf how they had found Jerec nearly bleeding to death after a clash with a group of bandits and how Jerec had mentioned that a shaman had also been attacked.

"Ohhh, I see now. I'll definitely do what I can. Nobody attacks our people and gets away with it, especially our shamans. They do a lot to help out the laguz communities, such as warning us of impending floods or fires and treating the sick. Unfortunately, I can't tell you if the shaman you spoke of survived or not. When they're practicing their craft, they always wear their ceremonial robes and headdresses, so I don't know what some of them look like underneath. There are lots of elderly cat laguz who become shamans, some of which work together in groups within isolated retreats. They say it's better for their work, but it also means that if they get in trouble, we might not hear about it until it's too late."

"Jerec said this woman was part of a group and that she wore a stag's head over her face, but that's all."

"Well, is he well enough to give at least a few more details?"

"I'm not sure. Rhys is with him in the back of the wagon, though. He'll let us know if it's alright to talk to Jerec again."

"Sounds good to me."

With that, Ike ordered his men to halt and then led Ranulf inside the wagon, where Rhys was tending to Jerec. Jerec himself was wrapped up in a sleeping bag on the floor, shivering with fever and his eyes darting in all directions. He coughed a few times as Ike and Ranulf approached.

"Ike!" Rhys greeted. "Whatever it is, make it quick. His hallucinations are getting worse."

"I will," Ike replied. "How is he doing?"

"He's not looking too good…" Rhys somberly reported. "His body is cold one minute and then burning up the next, he's coughing frequently, and he still says his head is killing him. I tried to give him some herbal medicines for the pain, but he only puked them up. He also keeps hearing or seeing things that aren't there and, well, like I said, he's not looking too good."

"Damn it…" Ike opined angrily. "We have to find those shamans then. Jerec, can you give us a few details about what that laguz shaman looked like?"

Jerec turned his feverish gaze towards the blue haired mercenary, but rather than answer the question, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Who's that guy with the sickle? Why is he beckoning? Why is my grandfather with him?"

"No, no, no!" Ike cut in, trying not to think about whether or not that particular delusion might be prophetic. "Don't pay attention to the sickle guy, focus on me! Ranulf just needs a few details, then we can get you help. I promise!"

"Alright… Bear skin over green dress…grayish green tail…tattoos of purple ivy on her arms…walked with a limp…"

Jerec coughed again before he could continue.

"Ah, that sounds like the elder shaman Rose Thorn," Ranulf identified. "She's one of the more famous Gallian shamans, but she keeps her real name a secret. She's known for her herbal teas and her…rather eccentric fashion sense. Sweet old cat she is, though sometimes she can be a bit too grandmotherly. I really hope she's alright."

"So do I. But we won't find out standing around here. Where is this retreat of hers, Ranulf?"

"It's large hut not too far from here, actually. Even beorc would be able to get there in about half an hour. And, trust me on this, you can't miss it."

"Great, let's go. What I'm wondering though, is why she even tried to fight bandits in the first place…"

"Ah, well, Rose Thorn might not look like it, but she's a tough old girl when she wants to be."

"I see."

The two then hurriedly left the wagon and returned to the head of the group. Ike ordered his men to continue moving and pick up the pace. Ranulf retook the lead and began directing the group towards the hut where Rose Thorn and her disciples could be found. As he had stated, the hut was not far, and came into view roughly half an hour later. It stood alone amidst a sheltered clearing amidst several large garden plots, possibly where the shamans grew their food as well as herbs and certain plants that were used for medicine. Not every type of small plant could grow in a jungle, after all. In fact, many probably couldn't due to the trees shading so much of the jungle floor. The hut itself rose upward like an enormous, budded flower and was seemingly overgrown with vines and a multitude of exotic plants. Arranged in intricate patterns around the hut were stakes topped with ceremonial totems, predominantly skulls. Oscar jerked the wagon to a halt once the group entered the small clearing. Ike invited Mist to accompany him and Ranulf to the central hut while the remainder of the group waited outside. Ranulf approached the door but, before he could knock, a tiger laguz emerged. This laguz had the look of a shaman, wearing what looked like the head of a crocodile, but this was clearly not Rose Thorn. Nor, for that matter, was the shaman happy to see visitors.

"You intrude on our meditations, and you bring outsiders," the crocodile headed shaman pointed out with displeasure. "This offense will not be tolerated. Leave at once!"

Ranulf was about to retort when a second, female voice rang out from within the hut.

"Brother Crocodile, you are a disciple, and it is not your place to choose who is and is not welcome here. Let them in."

It was hard to tell with the disciple having a crocodile head over his face, but Ike had a feeling that Brother Crocodile was blushing at the reprimand. Still, he moved aside to let the small group enter. Revealed within was an elderly cat laguz woman. As was apparently typical of the laguz shamans, she wore a peculiar mask that looked like the head of an eagle, as well as a red tunic festooned with patterns of feathers. A pair of pink ears rose from beneath her mask and wisps of white hair, very nearly indistinguishable from the white feathers of her mask, brushed her shoulders.

"Oh! Ranulf! How nice of you to come visit us again!" the woman greeted. "You're such a good young man! And, a warrior of the tribe is always welcome at our retreat."

Ranulf was about to bow to the shaman when she instead pulled him into a hug, which Mist couldn't help but giggle at.

"Yes, yes, it's nice to see you too, Indigo Talon," Ranulf replied. "But—"

"And…oh my goodness! Is that you, Ike?" Indigo Talon exclaimed after she let go of Ranulf. "And Mist too! Oh, Rose Thorn will be so happy to see the both of you after all these years! And I see you're using that stinkweed bug repellent. That is a wise precaution…though, don't expect others in Gallia to be as understanding."

"Heh, yeah, I'm Ike," Ike replied. "And Rose Thorn's alive?"

"She is, and was very lucky. She left the retreat yesterday to hunt and when she never came back, Silver Fang and I went looking for her. We found her wounded in the middle of a clearing not far from here."

"That's good to hear!" Mist commented happily. "And I barely remember all of you. I was real little…"

"'Real little?' You were just born," Indigo Talon pointed out. "I remember you though. It was the first time I'd observed a beorc being born. At first, I thought something had gone wrong when you had no…fur."

Ike couldn't help but chuckle, and Mist couldn't help but drive her heel into his foot.

"Aaaaugh!" Ike yelped.

"Now, now, no need for that," Indigo Talon chastised. "Tell me, Ike, do you remember us?"

"Unfortunately, I don't," Ike admitted. "I'm not sure why I have no recollection of living in Gallia. I only know Rose Thorn's name because of Ranulf."

"Aw, that's a shame. I'm sure it isn't your fault though. Now, all of you come inside. I very much wish to know what brings you here. From what I've learned, you're quite famous these days, General Ike."

"Actually, I'm not a general anymore," Ike pointed out.

"A general is always a general, General. Generally speaking, of course," Ranulf piped up, sounding almost respectful and prompting a long silence followed by a burst of laughter.

After the hilarity had died down, Ranulf explained that while Indigo Talon wasn't his blood grandmother, she had been like one to him ever since his parents and real grandparents had been killed by beorc bandits. Back then, Ranulf had been too young to understand the conflict between the two races and grew up learning from Indigo Talon that all living things must respect one another, for none can survive alone. She and the other shamans also believed that the beorc and laguz simply misunderstood each other and that, inevitably, a lasting peace would be realized.

"Man, if only she had taught Lethe," Ike replied, half joking.

"Haha, yeah," Ranulf agreed.

At Indigo Talon's insistence, Ranulf also relayed that her real name was Lillian and that, upon reaching the rank of Elder Shaman, a laguz adopts a name to befit their rank. He also warned that an Elder Shaman's real name was not shared lightly and that, if Rose Thorn or Silver Fang revealed theirs, Ike and Mist had best keep it to themselves.

"Are you boys hungry or thirsty? I can get you some refreshments, if you'd like," Lillian offered kindly. "Silver Fang is out gathering some herbs. She should be back soon. Rose Thorn is resting in one of the halls of healing."

"I'm fine, thank you," Ike declined.

"Same here," Ranulf seconded.

"How about you, Mist?" Lillian inquired.

"Oh, I'm okay," the cleric replied with a smile, her tone then turning coy. "I'm surprised Ike isn't jumping up and down at your suggestion though."

"Mist, shut it," Ike demanded.

"Hee hee, you two are definitely siblings," Lillian teased.

"_Anyway,_ a friend of mine has gotten really ill. He has…I'm not sure what you laguz call it, but we call it Brain Fever," Ike explained. "My mercenary company's main healer was unable to help him, because we beorc never found a cure. When we met Ranulf though, he said you could help us. I also need to ask Rose Thorn something. It's…a bit of a personal matter."

"Ah, I see. Bring the patient in here and we'll do whatever we can. Meanwhile, you and Mist must definitely visit Rose Thorn! Just a reminder though, if she shares her true name, keep it in confidence."

Ike nodded while Ranulf offered to go get Jerec. After the blue cat laguz departed the hut, the two siblings followed Lillian to one of the rooms adjoining the hut's meditation chamber. Inside, another elderly cat laguz lay on the bed. As Jerec had described, she was clothed in a bear skin and what looked like the head of a stag was resting on a bedside table with all manner of oddments suspended from the antlers on leather cords. Without the mask, the pair could also see that she had white hair and greenish gray ears and that the ivy tattoos also went up her shoulders all the way to her cheeks. She looked as if she might've been sleeping, but as the siblings approached, she stirred. She turned drowsily towards the door and, when she saw who her visitors were, she snapped awake and gasped in amazement.

"Goodness gracious, is that Ike? And Mist?" she exclaimed, vaulting to her feet.

"It certainly is them, Rose Thorn! All flesh and blood!" Lillian confirmed.

"Wow, after all these years!" Rose Thorn gushed joyfully. "Come over here, you two! Come on!"

Mist smiled excitedly and with surprising strength, yanked the slightly embarrassed Ike along with her. Rose Thorn met the pair in midstride and pulled Ike into a tight hug first.

"Yeah, good to see you too, Rose Thorn…" Ike greeted, wondering how the old woman could have such a strong grip. Then he remembered that laguz recovered faster from injuries and illnesses than beorc did.

"No need for honorifics, Rosie will do nicely," Rose Thorn – Rosie – continued. "Oh, you've grown so tall and handsome since I last saw you. Just like your father. And Mist, you're growing to be as beautiful as your mother."

"Oh, I don't know about that, but thanks!" Mist replied bashfully as Rosie let go of Ike and hugged her, nearly taking Mist off the floor. "This place and those masks though, they're incredible! I wish I could remember the last time I was here."

"I don't think I'll ever forget," Rosie said, ruffling Mist's hair. "In fact, it was only a few days before your father… Oh my gosh, we were all so devastated when we heard. All those people, beorc and laguz, dead… Including your poor mother. I mean, when someone told me Greil went berserk, I snapped at him saying 'what kind of sick joke is this? Whatever would cause a good man like him to go into such a rage?' I felt terrible when I found out it was true."

"I bet," Mist agreed, a little somberly. "I didn't even know what had happened for years until a man my father hired a long time ago told Ike and then Ike told me. My brother doesn't remember you for some reason though, so that's why he had no idea either."

"Ah, that's so unfortunate. Ike, you and your sister were like grandchildren to me. I was so sad to see you two and your father leave after what happened to your mother. I missed the times she would bring you and Mist here to visit. I grieved even more when I heard about your father's death… But you were such an adorable little boy. And your sister is just as lovable now as she was when she was born. I delivered both of you, you know!"

"I see…" Ike replied, dubiously eyeing the Elder Shaman's antlered mask.

"Oh, now don't be silly," Rosie snickered. "I wouldn't wear that when dealing with newborns. You _did_ like that mask though. Once, I set it down to wash my face and, when I came back, there you were gumming on the stag's skin."

"Well, I guess that explains why I like meat so much," Ike replied, turning red at the image.

Before anyone could say anything else, Ranulf entered the room and reported that Silver Fang arrived just as he, Oscar, and Rhys were bringing Jerec into the hut. The third Elder Shaman had already moved the ailing lancer to the ritual circle and had assigned him a room for him to rest in after the healing was completed.

"Oh, that's wonderful," Lillian commented. "I'll go join them."

"Thank you for helping out, Ranulf," Ike added with a smile.

"No problem!" Ranulf replied happily.

"You have a sick friend, Ike?" Rosie wondered.

"Yeah. He has Brain Fever."

"Oh dear. The poor fellow. Hereabouts, we refer to it as Flaming Skull. We know how to treat it, but the illness is a cruel thing nonetheless. I'll go to him at once. Indigo Talon, I want you, Silver Fang, and any disciples that are here in the retreat to sound the drums and signal the disciples to gather the herbs we'll need. Time is of the essence, so get started."

Lillian nodded and raced out of the room. Moments later, the sound of drumming thundered from the next room in a series of ever shifting beats and rhythms.

"These drums are how we communicate with others in this isolation," Rosie spoke up, noting Ike's perplexity. "Certain successions of beats can translate into names, tasks and destinations. Right now, the disciples out in the jungle are being instructed to gather the herbs and to bring them back here."

"Thank you. Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something, Rosie," Ike continued.

"Go ahead. I'll help with anything you'd like," Rosie offered with a smile.

Ike then explained his quest to find Ettard, the clue that Greil had left him, and Jerec's situation, including the information the lancer had given about Rosie.

"Ah, of course. Your father did want to leave something here for you, and we were more than happy to help him out," Rosie replied. "You'll find it in a little red box on a shelf in our supply room. Ranulf knows where it is. I feel so sorry for your friend, though. I'd had a feeling that he was the same kind beorc man who tried to help me back when those thugs attacked us. I was surprised to be helped by a beorc rather than a fellow beast laguz, but I knew there must have been a good reason he was there. And then he wandered off with those terrible wounds…"

"I don't blame you. But thanks. Mist, you can stick around here if you want," Ike decided. "Ranulf, let's go."

"Got it!" Ranulf agreed.

With that, the two left the room, Ike's heart racing with anticipation. Ranulf led him to another room towards the back of the building, filled with shelves piled high with all manner of oddments including numerous herbs that Ike had never even heard of. This was clearly the supply room, just as Rosie had said, and Ike suspected that Rhys and Soren would have to be pried away from all the research opportunities within. Ike and Ranulf quickly began searching each shelf of herbs and other oddities for the box the elderly laguz had mentioned. Ranulf soon spotted it behind a small pile of vulneraries.

"Ike, over here," he alerted, pulling the box out from its hiding place.

"Good work," Ike complimented and took the box. He then opened the lid to find another piece of folded parchment inside. He snatched it and immediately began to read.

_Ike, here is your next clue._

_ Gifted with massive heaps of stone it is._

_ Erected with the might of many men._

_ But building such a structure is no simple task._

_ After labor, those men do rest and then…_

_ Large endeavors begin and end with small steps. _

"I don't understand this at all," Ranulf admitted, scratching the top of his head as Ike finished reading.

"Neither do I," Ike replied, arching one eyebrow. "But something tells me there's more to these sentences than meets the eye. It's describing something, possibly a place, but what?"

"Hmm…"

"…Wait a second. Look at the left edge. You see how the first sentence is at the top center of the passage and how the other sentences are lined up? I think that might important."

The two men then reread the sentences once more. Within seconds, they noticed that one detail which confirmed Ike's suspicion. The answer wasn't in the sentences, but in five letters that spelled out a concealed word. Their eyes widened, their gazes met, and both shouted out in realization.

"Gebal Castle!"


	11. The Secret Sword: Part 4

**Falchion1984: In case anybody's wondering, the plant Fire Leaf is supposed to be the laguz name for Tellius's equivalent of Camphor, a cinnamon scented herb that was used as a bug repellent in the medieval world… Too bad Ike and company only hear about it _after_ buying the aptly named Stinkweed. =D Keep in mind also that Brain Fever/Flaming Skull means Meningitis/Encephalitis. Also, in case the shamans' dual names seem confusing, here's a convenient reference.**

**Rose Thorn - Rosie**

**Indigo Talon - Lillian**

**Silver Fang - Bonnie**

Part 4: The Search Continues

Having discovered the next clue to Ettard's whereabouts, Ike was keen to set out at once on the next leg of his journey. With the parchment in hand and Ranulf half a step behind, he hastened to find the other mercenaries. The pair had just entered the rest area, where Ike and Mist had spoken to Rosie, when they were greeted by a none-too-friendly Brother Crocodile. Despite Lillian's earlier chastisement, the disciple with the crocodile mask didn't seem any more welcoming now than he had earlier. With what sounded very much like an angry grumble, he gestured for the pair to follow him. Within moments, the pair had been led to what looked like the retreat's communal dining area. Large, round tables dotted the room with rough benches encircling them and, at one such table, Elincia and the mercenaries were seated and enjoying a simple meal, no doubt having been invited in and awaiting news of Jerec's wellbeing. Not wasting any time, Ike bolted over to join them and, with much reluctance, firmly decided that a meal could wait for the time being.

"Ike! Ranulf!" Titania greeted, waving them over. "What's the rush? You two look like you've been running the length of the jungle."

"Is there any news about Jerec?" Oscar inquired.

"Yeah, I'm wondering myself," Rhys added. "The last time I saw him, his symptoms were terrible."

"Oh, don't worry, Jerec's in good hands," Ike assured. "He'll be fine."

"Yeah, though he may have to rest here for awhile," Ranulf added. "People don't recover from Flaming Skull overnight, you know. Not even the laguz."

"True. But anyway, check this out. It's my father's next clue!" Ike replied, handing Titania the newly discovered note. She, Oscar, and Rhys immediately read it over and then allowed Mist to take a peek. "Rosi-Rose Thorn, the shaman that Jerec met, told me that my father left it here when he last visited this place."

Both Ranulf and Mist gave Ike reproachful looks for nearly blurting out Rosie's real name but everyone quickly turned their attention to the note, passing it around the table until they'd all read it. Boyd and Gatrie looked thoroughly baffled while Shinon seemed, predictably, disinterested.

"So there really _was_ a laguz shaman?" Titania realized, more than a bit surprised.

"Yeah," Ike confirmed. "She's here, and she's fine. I'd say this confirms Jerec's story, and _that_ means there really are bandits after Ettard. We have to move fast."

"What does this mean, though?" Rhys wondered, gesturing at the note.

"Yeah, I can see that it's describing something, but other than that, it doesn't really seem to be telling us anything," Titania added.

"Actually, the answer is simple. It's hidden right here in these sentences," Oscar countered. "See the first letter of the first words in each line? They spell out "Gebal." As in Gebal Castle."

"…Oh! I see it now! Oscar, you're a genius," Titania complimented.

"Aw, shucks…"

"I have to agree!" Rhys added. "It would've taken me a long time to spot that!"

"Me too," Mist put in. "Father was really good at this!"

"It makes perfect sense too," Ike replied. "Remember when we first met Ranulf and he suggested that we stay at an old abandoned castle? It was my father who suggested that we go to Gebal Caslte. And, he acted as if he'd been there before, or at least knew a lot about it."

"Oh yeah, he did, didn't he?" Ranulf remembered.

"He might have even hidden Ettard there!" Ike realized, his excitement getting the better of him. "That must be why he suggested going to Gebal, so he could retrieve it!"

"I'm not so sure about that," Titania cut in. "When we arrived at the castle, we searched it pretty thoroughly. Since the place was abandoned, we expected that the place would be falling apart and we needed to make sure we could defend it, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Oscar piped up. "I remember that Commander Greil had me looking for places where the stones in the walls had given way or were weak enough that they could be pried apart. He wanted me to use the rubble that was, well, everywhere, to block any such places up. He also told Gatrie to look for any rooms where the roof looked ready to cave in and to block them off so nobody went in them by accident."

"And, again, those were just about everywhere," Gatrie recalled, rubbing absently at the crown of his head and wincing.

"Exactly," Titania confirmed. "The rubble and some old furnishings was practically all that was left in that place, and we used nearly all of it to block off the places where the enemy could break in. If Ettard was in Gebal, we would've found it right then."

"You're...probably right," Ike admitted, more than a hint of frustration in his tone. "Still, my father left this note for a reason, and my guess is that there is something hidden at Gebal Castle that he wanted me to find."

"I'm sure of it," Titania agreed. "The castle _is_ abandoned, after all, so no one would think to look there for anything valuable."

"My point exactly," Ike agreed. "Even if Ettard isn't there, the next clue probably is."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Mia piped up, leaping atop her seat and with her sword halfway out of its sheath.

"Whoa, easy there!" Boyd shouted, half under the table. "Save that for the bad guys."

"Yeah, seriously," Ike agreed. "Now, listen guys; I don't know how much these bandits know about Ettard or how they found out in the first place, but they're sure to still be looking for it. Jerec managed to steal back the letter that we found in the fort, so it's a safe bet that they're either trying to find Jerec to get the note back or that they're looking for Ettard on their own. Either way, they might stumble upon this retreat. Since it's so far off the beaten path, we should probably protect it ourselves for the time being. Now, Ranulf and I will head to the castle. The rest of you need to remain at the retreat and guard Jerec and the others here in case the bandits find this place."

"Sounds good to me," Ranulf replied.

The others, however, seemed to disagree.

"Ike, I don't like this idea. You're still not fully recovered from your injuries," Elincia protested.

"Injuries?" Ranulf wondered, serious for a split second before the inevitable smirk came. "What, ingestion strike at last?"

"This is getting old fast," Ike groused, turning to face Ranulf. "I had a rough fight with Arius, the self-proclaimed wolf king who tried to take over Daein a few weeks back."

"'A rough time?'" Rhys blurted, sounding incredulous. "You got your neck cut open, were buried under a boulder, nearly bled to death and were in a coma for hours. Not to mention that afterward, the blood loss left you too exhausted to lift your sword and you couldn't take more than five steps without your head spinning!"

_ That_ wiped the smirk off of Ranulf's face, and the blue cat laguz suddenly looked as though he was ready to reconsider Ike's proposal. Of those at the table, he knew best that the jungle was unforgiving territory even at the best of times.

"Ike, I'm afraid I must agree with Rhys," Soren commented. "Mounting a solid defense here would be a simple matter, since the bandits would have to leave the cover of the jungle to reach us, and would have to pick their way through those totems in the field while we can fire arrows and spells at them with ease. But, it would be foolish of you to go to Gebal Castle alone in your current state."

"I'm not going alone, I have Ranulf with me," Ike countered. "He knows the jungle better than any of us. Besides, I haven't had a dizzy spell since we found the letter in the fort nearly five days ago and I haven't felt any sudden exhaustion in nearly a week. I'm sure I'm well enough for the trip."

The others at the table looked unconvinced, and Elincia, Mist and Titania looked quite worried, but Soren gave a resigned sigh and nodded.

"This is _not _a good idea," Soren reiterated. "But, I'll make sure the retreat is well defended when you leave. Good luck."

"Thanks, Soren," Ike replied with a smile. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Wait, _what_?" Mist blurted, looking ready to throttle Soren. "Are you guys nuts? Ike, you should take the rest of us with you!"

"I agree," Elincia added. "Please Ike, you know how it worries me when you do this sort of thing."

"I know, but I have to get to my dad's sword before those bandits do," Ike reasoned. "And, they're more likely to come here than go after Ranulf and I, considering what Jerec told us. So, it's better if most of us remain here to protect the area. Besides that, I've a feeling I'm going to eventually meet these thugs anyway. So, I'd rather we find Ettard before that happens."

"Well…I suppose you're right. Just be careful out there, you hear me? Don't try anything stupid."

"Of course. To be honest, I'd rather go alone, but I know you, Mist, and Rhys would never allow it."

"That's right, oh Ike the Impetuous."

"You're darn right I would't!" Mist agreed, folding her arms. "I'm worried enough with only Ranulf going with you. No big brother of mine is gallivanting off into the jungle by himself when there's bandits around, especially when he's not in tip top shape yet."

"I agree," Rhys added. "Ike, if something happens over there—"

"Relax already! Geez!" Ike retorted. "Ranulf is very reliable and he'd know what to do if anything bad happens. He can literally sniff out trouble and he knows the jungle better than any of us, so don't worry."

"Yeah, what he said. No one's getting past my nose," Ranulf put in. "Besides, these bandits can't know their way around here half as well as I do."

"Alright then, I'll see you soon," Elincia replied and wrapped her arms around Ike's neck. After exchanging a farewell kiss with his love, Ike led Ranulf out of the retreat. They head to the wagon, retrieved a rucksack of supplies and a machete for each of them and headed into the jungle.

"Ranulf, you remember the way to the castle from here, right?" Ike inquired.

"Yeah, just follow me," Ranulf assured.

With that, the blue cat laguz led Ike through the jungle trails, hacking away at any overgrowth that blocked their path. As they did so, Ike couldn't help but contemplate the search he and Ranulf would conduct in Gebal Castle. From what Ike remembered of it, the place was not that big, but it was in terrible disrepair, so poking around carelessly could prove dangerous. The mercenaries had only used the castle as a temporary shelter. That is, until it was suddenly surrounded by a Daein army. As Ike recalled, many of the walls looked ready to topple over at any moment and the roof was in no better condition. When the mercenaries had arrived there, much of their time was spent finding rooms that wouldn't cave in on them and using the rubble to plug holes the enemy might use to sneak in. No secret compartments or panels had been discovered during all this but, then again, nobody had ever really looked for any. Ike was worried that the clue Greil had hidden at Gebal might have been used in a barricade or was in a room that was ready to cave in, or had already done so. But, he doubted this was the case. Greil had, as Titania pointed out, always been very foresighted. Thus, Ike doubted it would take long for him and Ranulf to locate Greil's next clue. And, this was quite a relief. The longer the pair spent away from the rest of the group, the greater the chance that they might run afoul of the bandits. And, powerful though both warriors were, they knew that, alone, they wouldn't stand a chance against them.

About an hour later, Gebal Castle finally came into view. Impossible though it seemed, the abandoned castle looked in even greater disrepair than Ike remembered. Portions of the walls had given way, creating numerous passages one could squeeze through, while some of the towers' walls had crumbled away, leaving empty rooms exposed to the elements. The whole place looked ready to topple over, and Ike could only hope that it wouldn't do so with him and Ranulf inside. The castle, however, was eerily quiet. It was as silent as…

Here Ike had to snort derisively.

It was as silent as the grave.

And, indeed, it _was_ a grave. After Greil had been slain by the Black Knight, he had been buried near this ruin. And, Ike and the others had very nearly joined him when the Daeins attacked the following morning. With Shinon and Gatrie having had deserted the company, less-than-reassured at the idea of Ike becoming the new commander, the mercenaries had been at a disadvantage. Though Ike and his friends were able to hold the Daein army back, the enemy just kept on coming, and the mercenaries' defenses were eventually worn down and overrun. Even Titania had succumbed to exhaustion and, soon enough, the Daeins were practically swarming over the mercenaries. Even so, Ike continued to fight and, miraculously, Lethe and Mordecai had come to their rescue. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, their claws tore through the Daeins. If not for those laguz, the mercenaries would have probably perished that day.

That was, Ike reflected, his first real brush with death; though it would not be his last. It was also his first true mission as the commander of the Greil Mercenaries, and Ike could only hope he'd done credit to his father with how he'd led them. As had often happened since his father's death, Ike found his thoughts on Greil. At first, it just didn't seem real that his father, one of the most powerful warriors he had ever seen, could be killed with such seeming ease. Disbelief had given way to despair and then rage and Ike tried, futilely, to attack the Black Knight then and there and, after that, Ike tried, with no greater success, to save his father. With the Black Knight defeated and entombed in the ruins of Nados Castle, Ike felt some of his inner wounds healing, but many questions remained for which, he knew, he would receive no answers.

Had he led the mercenaries wisely and well? Ike felt he'd done as well as he could, but he still found himself wondering if his father would've done something differently.

What had Greil been like when he was Gawain? And, for that matter, did Ike even want to know?

Would Greil have found a way to cement the ties between Crimea and its newfound laguz allies? Or, for that matter, would he have found a way to deal with the crisis in Daein?

One question which Ike found particularly vexing was whether or not his father would have approved of his relationship with Elincia. And, for that matter, whether Greil would've discovered some solution to the couple's dilemma.

Ike did not ask himself whether he could've done something differently that night, for time had taught him that he was lucky to have escaped with his own life, but that was a cold comfort when weighed against the memory of hauling his father's body to the castle and feeling the life drain out of him with every step.

More than losing someone he loved and admired, Ike missed all that he would never have with his father. He would never know, never _truly_ know, if he'd done credit to his father's memory. He would never rediscover the strangely absent memories of his mother and Gallia and goddess knows what else. And, even if he and Elincia did find some way to overcome the obstacles between them, some part of Ike would always regret that Greil would not be there to see it and that his and Elincia's child, or children, would never meet their grandfather.

Some of Ike's distress must've shown, for Ranulf clapped a hand over his friend's shoulder.

"It hurts being back here, doesn't it?" he guessed, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

"Not in the way it used to," Ike replied. "I just…it bothers me how little I knew him, and I still can't help but wonder if he'd approve of the way I'm handling things."

"Well, everybody _else_ seems to approve. That's gotta count for something."

"Yeah, but…that doesn't stop me from missing him. Besides, with what's been going on lately, with me and Elincia and over in Daein, I wish he was here to tell me what to do. Frankly, I'm at a loss."

"I understand. More than you might think, in fact. I was too young to know my parents when I lost them, and I was really lucky to have Lillian to raise me. And, I was even luckier that I had her to teach me about the beorc and the laguz and how things could, and should, be between them. She always believed that a lasting peace could be reached between the races but, at times, I had a hard time picturing it as a reality."

Here, Ranulf paused to roll his shoulder and crick his neck.

"That smack-down at Port Toha didn't help much," the blue cat laguz admitted, then favoring Ike with a look of brotherly affection. "But, you trying to help me did. It wasn't the smartest move on your part."

"Hey!" Ike blurted angrily.

"Still, up until then, I hadn't really believed that what Lillian said could become real. But, after Port Toha, I think that was when things changed. She told me the beorc and laguz could be friends, and _you_ made me believe it."

As was often the case, Ike found himself rather confounded by the praise.

"Ah…well…er…I…" he stammered, thunderstruck by Ranulf's confession.

"'Take compliments the way a baby takes medicine?'" Ranulf suggested with a snicker.

"Next time I visit you, I'm bringing a dog," Ike warned. "Still…wow, I didn't see that coming."

"Yeah, I guessed that from all the stammering. When I told Lillian, she called it 'an epiphany.' A sudden realization about myself or the world, or both. What was your epiphany? You led a lot of missions, which one of them got you thinking 'hey, I _can_ do this'?"

"I…hadn't really thought about it. I mean, there were plenty of times it looked as if we weren't going to make it."

"But, you kept going. Why? Aside from your _girlfriend_, of course?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny. Well, I kept going because there were people I cared about who needed my help, and because there was no one besides us to help them."

"So, not having Greil around to tell you what to do and how to do it didn't stop you?"

"No. If anything, it gave even more reason to do what I did."

"And, you knew it could be done?"

"Well, I didn't _know_. I…believed, I suppose."

"Exactly! Lillian _believed_ that the beorc and laguz could find a way to coexist, but she could not have _known_ if it would ever truly happen. That didn't stop her from believing it could happen and, heck, she might even be around to see it. And, you didn't know you were doing what your father would've wanted or that you'd succeed, but you tried anyway because you believed it had to be done. If you still believe that, then you must be doing _something_ right."

"Maybe. I guess I never thought of it that way. I mean, I hear people talking about what a "great warrior" I am, but I never really believed it. A lot of the people who served with me in the war were better warriors than I am."

"Aren't they the same ones who told you that you're a great warrior? And, I'm sure your girlfriend mentions it pretty often."

"Well, yeah. They did."

"Even _Lethe_ said she was impressed with you. It's not easy to get that kind of praise out of her. Believe me, I know."

Ike gave Ranulf a sly, sidelong glance, to which Ranulf replied by playfully swatting at the blue haired mercenary.

"Watch it," Ranulf warned. "Still, I understand where you're coming from. There's so little any of us can truly _know_, so we have faith in what we believe to be true. And, that faith can help us do incredible things. Take Rhys, for instance. Always sickly, very weak, maybe even living on borrowed time as it is, but he's one of the best healers I've ever even heard of. A lot of people in his place, even the laguz, wouldn't be able to deal with his problems, but he does. His faith is in Ashera, and it must be strong to keep him going. And, again, he doesn't know that Ashera exists. In fact, even though there are countless beorc and laguz who worship her, not one has seen her face-to-face."

"That _would_ be something."

"Yeah, but the point is that that faith keeps him going, even though he's always so sick. Faith like that, in the Goddess, or our friends, or even ourselves, can drive us to dare the impossible. I'm sure you know that, and in more ways than one."

And, Ike had to concede the point. He had vowed to find a way to overcome the obstacles between him and Elincia, so that they could have a future together and love each other freely and openly, but he had no idea how or even if that would happen. Yet, this didn't stop him; nor, he suspected, did it stop Elincia from believing that they'd succeed.

Elincia believed in him.

The mercenaries believed in him as well.

And, he realized, his father believed in him by having him take command during the retreat from the Mercenary fort and the journey into Gallia.

Now, Ike realized, he needed to believe in himself as well.

For the first time in a long time, Ike looked very nearly at ease. He clapped a hand over Ranulf's shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks," he replied simply. "I needed that."

"Anytime," Ranulf answered.

With newfound resolution, Ike strode towards Gebal Castle and the next leg of his quest.

"Alright, let's get started. Do you mind splitting up? We'll get done faster that way; and the quicker, the better," Ike suggested when the pair approached the gate.

"Good idea," Ranulf agreed as they entered. "Also, we'd probably have better luck searching the more intact areas. Greil surely wanted to keep his hidden clues well-preserved, and I kinda doubt he would've wanted it ruined by the rain or the mud, or buried when some wall came tumbling in."

"Agreed, we'll start in the rooms that were never blocked off. Just look for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious."

"Right."

With that, the two continued towards the main doors of the castle…such as they were. The doors were still standing, but they showed clear signs of damage from the hot, moist jungle air. The hinges also looked corroded, and as if they were coming loose from the walls. The overgrown courtyard, however, which had once been littered with Daein corpses, had been cleared of the dead. The laguz probably didn't like having dead beorc in their territory. That musing too harkened Ike's thoughts back to his father, but in a different, darker way. Was his father's grave still undisturbed? The laguz here, he knew, were not fond of beorc. And, if they happened upon Greil's burial place…Ike couldn't finish the thought. He had wanted to re-bury Greil in Crimea, but the war and keeping the company afloat had taken precedence. The notion that Greil's body was no longer there to be retrieved chilled him, but he shook it off. Caineghis, he suspected, already knew where his old friend was buried, as the King of Lions had been very near the site of Greil's death, and had likely ensured that the grave would remain unharmed. And, as Soren had pointed out, Caineghis was unfailing at enforcing his decrees. Shaking himself back to attention, Ike followed Ranulf towards the castle doors.

"Ike, wait…" Ranulf spoke up, suddenly coming to a halt as his friend was about to open one of the crumbling, mold ridden doors.

"What's wrong?" Ike wondered.

"…Get inside, quick!"

"Huh?"

"Just do it! I'll explain once we bar the doors!"

With that, the pair rushed inside and slammed the doors shut. Ranulf quickly lowered what was left of the crossbar into place to seal the doors shut behind them.

"Ranulf, what's the matter?" Ike inquired, certain that something was wrong.

"I just caught scent of a lot of beorc nearby!" Ranulf reported. "They have weapons too!"

"What? But how? I hope it isn't any of the guys. I told them to stay at the retreat and it's not like them to disobey a direct order, especially at a time like this."

"I don't know, but I can tell you that it isn't them. I know the scents of all our friends, any beast tribe laguz worth his claws never forgets a smell, and I remember you all have that stinkweed stuff as well. The beorc headed our way smell terrible, like they haven't bathed in weeks, but I'm also getting whiffs of a different aroma. It smells like Fire Leaf."

"Fire Leaf?"

"It's another plant that can be used as a bug repellent, but it has a spicy aroma, kinda like pine or cinnamon. It's definitely not the mercenaries. It must be the bandits Jerec warned us about!"

"Damn it! How did they find us? They shouldn't know we're here! In fact, I'm surprised they even know about this place! Ranulf, didn't you ever smell anyone on our way here, or while we were at the retreat?"

"Well, I did pick up one similar scent back at the retreat, but I thought it was Jerec. He clearly hadn't washed up in awhile either, and I figured he might've had Fire Leaf on him. Smelled like rotten fish. Kinda like these guys, only with a dash of cinnamon."

"Erggg. Blast! If they see us, we're dead! We can't take them all on by ourselves! Ranulf, we're going to have to find that clue and then leave as fast as possible! We should also make sure that the barricades we set up earlier are still holding together, so the bandits can't break in and hit us from behind!"

"You don't have to tell me twice."

With that, the two split up and frantically began to search the castle from top to bottom. The pair found the old barricades the mercenaries had erected during their previous visits and, luckily, all appeared solid. Then, the pair raced into any rooms that looked stable, rummaging through anything they could get their hands on. Old cabinets, closets, wardrobes, trunks, desks, cots, shelves, crates, and anything else Ike and Ranulf could find were searched. As Ike frantically tossed junk aside, he contemplated about how the bandits could have eluded the keen noses of the laguz, assuming that odd scent Ranulf caught wind of really had been Jerec's. Were they really such skilled trackers? If so, then Ike feared that their combat skills would be equally impressive. Time was clearly against the two adventurers but, neither Ike nor Ranulf could find anything that appeared to be what they were looking for. The shelves yielded nothing but old, broken down boxes and rusted tools, the crates were empty, and the furniture was too flimsy to be hiding anything. When Ike attempted to move a chair aside in what had once probably been the dining hall, the legs snapped right off.

"Yeesh. I'm glad I never tried to sit on that," Ike muttered to himself and then continued searching.

_ But geez! I get that you didn't want the clues to end up in the wrong hands, but why couldn't you have __just _told_ me the exact location, Dad?_

Meanwhile, Ranulf was growing no less frustrated, as his search had yielded nothing. Either the next clue was extremely well hidden, or there was more to the previous one than Ike and Ranulf had initially deciphered. And, in either case, the bandits were surely getting closer by the minute. Deciding to rejoin Ike and suggest that they _very_ quickly look over the note from the retreat once again, Ranulf departed the room he had searched. As he passed by the front doors, however, a sudden banging noise rang out from the other side. The rotting doors and crossbar shuddered under the blow and the rusty hinges shrieked in protest, but the door held.

"What in tarnation? Why are these doors barred?" an angry, gruff voice blurted from outside.

"Someone must already be 'ere, boss!" a second, masculine voice replied. "I'll bet it be Greil's son!"

"Argh! That pesky mercenary is faster than I thought! C'mon mates, this door's moldier than me granny, we'll smash it down and give 'im what's comin' to 'im!"

"Aye, boss!"

There was a massive banging and the doors shuddered again, this time more violently.

"Blast it! Not now!" Ranulf seethed as he rushed off to find Ike as quickly as his legs could carry him. "IKE!"

"Ranulf? What's going on?" Ike's voice rang out from the next room.

"The bandits are trying to break in! We have to hurry!"

"Damn it! No! And we've searched all these rooms from top to bottom!"

"Not quite, there's one place left. That clue has to be in the basement! Follow me, quickly!"

"Huh? I don't remember there being a basement."

"You mean you never noticed it when you stayed here? Now I'm positive Greil stashed whatever he hid down there."

"No kidding."

"There's just one problem, though," Ranulf continued as he led Ike to a large trap door toward the rear of the castle and began to pull it open. "Even if we find it, how are we going to get out of here afterwards? I smell bandits at the back entrance too, and it would take too long for us to dismantle one of the barricades and squeeze out of here!"

"Curses! But don't worry, I'll think of something. Just hurry up with that door!"

"I'm trying! But it's as heavy as a wyvern!"

"Oh, for crying out loud! Get out of my way, you flimsy feline!"

"Shut up!"

Instead of replying, Ike grabbed hold one of the iron rings of the trap door and aided Ranulf in lifting it open. Or rather, Ike lifted it open himself, as Ranulf could barely budge the heavy door. Anyone watching would be able to tell too, as Ike's domed biceps bulged until they threatened to tear through the mid-length sleeves of his tunic. Ranulf stared, openmouthed, at the spectacle of strength, but shook himself back to reality and raced down the newly revealed stairs, leading Ike to a large room that looked even worse than the chambers above. Cobwebs the size of fish nets had been spun just about everywhere and fluttered eerily at the sudden rush of air while choking clouds of dust were churned to life and left Ike coughing as soon as he set foot inside.

"By the goddess' left boob! I can barely breathe in here!" he opined.

"Me neither! Yeesh! Must be why Greil hid his clue down here," Ranulf replied.

"Yeah. Let's start looking before those bandits find us."

Ranulf nodded and the two got to work. Once again, they rummaged through every shelf, piece of furniture, and anything else that they could find. With all of the dust, however, it wasn't easy to search, as any sudden motion sent a cloud of choking, blinding grit billowing into their faces. What's more, the basement was much larger than any of the rooms above, which meant there were many more places where the clue might be hidden. Unfortunately, as with the other chambers, the basement yielded nothing. Only old, tattered books, broken chairs, sagging shelves, trunks full of dust, and other such refuse was found amongst the filth. _Damn it, come on! Where did you hide it, Dad?_ Ike thought to himself in frustration.

"Man, where could it be?" Ranulf wondered as he opened an old cupboard.

"This is infuriating!" Ike opined loudly and slammed his fist into the stone wall nearby…which seemed to shift under the blow. "…Huh?"

"What's the matter?"

"I think the piece of stone I just hit moved a little."

"What? Really?"

Ike then grabbed the stone and jimmied it left and then right. As he had suspected, it was not mortared into the wall. In fact, now that he took a closer look, this particular stone also seemed mismatched with the rest of the wall. It was too smooth and, compared to the rest of the basement, too clean. Well, clean in comparison to the rest of the basement, anyway.

"Yeah, it did move! This section of the wall is loose!" he realized.

"Whoa. Then see if you can pull it out!" Ranulf suggested.

"No problem."

With that, Ike took hold of the stone once more and pulled and jimmied it until it finally slid out of the wall, revealing a large hole.

"So, who's going to stick his hand in there?" Ranulf wondered, immediately noticing the cobwebs inside with obvious displeasure.

"Well, seeing as we're on the verge of being overrun by bandits, I'd better just get it over with instead of arguing with a scaredy cat."

"Hey, I didn't say I was afraid! I just find the idea unappealing!"

"Whatever."

Ike then reached inside the hole, hoping that he'd find whatever his father had left instead of a horde of spiders. His fingers touched something that was smooth to the touch and felt like metal. What's more, the object was huge; Ike couldn't even reach all of it through the chink in the wall. He could, however, tell that it was very long and wide and tapered to a point. For an instant, Ike was certain and he'd found Ettard itself. Grinning from ear to ear, he pulled his hand out again. His smile almost turned upside down when he discovered that the object he'd retrieved was not a sword but a long, steel sheath wrapped in toughened leather and embroidered with silvery lining and a bandoleer attached for securing the weapon over ones shoulder. His grin _almost_ turned upside down because the sheath was _enormous_. As Ike wiped away the dust and cobwebs, his jaw dropped as he tried to envision how large the sword itself must be.

"I-Is that a sword's sheath?" Ranulf stammered. "It's huge!"

"You're telling me! This has to be the sheath Ettard was kept in!" Ike replied. "But how is this supposed to help us find the sword itself?"

"…You've got me on that one."

"Hmm…"

Ike then turned the sheath over, thinking perhaps there was an inscription on it somewhere, as there had been on the shield Jerec gave him. When he turned it upside down, however, a sparkling, silver object clattered out from within and fell to the ground.

"Huh?" Ike uttered, bending over to pick it up. "What's this?"

It was a silver pendant on a bronze chain, and the pendant was in the shape of a large, gold lined sword with a triangular blade. The sword itself was all too familiar.

"Hey! This looks like the image of Ettard that's on the shield I told you about!" Ike realized. "And there's words written on it too!"

"Whoa, now we're finally getting somewhere!" Ranulf added. "What does it say?"

"The first line says "For my son, Ike." That's a dead giveaway right there that we've found what we're looking for."

"Definitely. Go on."

"Right. I can't make sense of the rest though. It says "MRL, A12, 848."

"So, a bunch of letters and numbers? Well, I'm clueless again."

"Yeah, same here. Looks like we'll need Soren or Oscar for this one. They're great at figuring this stuff out. We just need to find a way to get past the thugs outside."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about them. But listen to this! While we were searching earlier, I found a door behind one of the shelves. I'll bet it's a way out!"

"Seriously? Good work! We can sneak out without them seeing us!"

"Exactly. You'd better hide that pendant though, just in case."

"Right."

With that, Ike slipped the piece of jewelry around his neck and tucked it underneath the collar of his tunic. Ranulf then led Ike to the back of the room where a tall shelf stood against the wall, nearly touching the ceiling. As Ranulf had reported, Ike could glimpse the outline of a door through the crack separating the shelf from the wall. Once the two friends shoved it aside, Ranulf took hold of the door's handle and pulled it open. Revealed was a staircase leading upwards, at the top of which was another trap door. Now Ike and Ranulf were certain that it was an exit and, thrilled by the discovery, rushed up the stairs. However, when they pushed the door open, the sight that greeted them caused their excitement to turn into shock and dismay. Standing at the threshold were five grinning bandits, each carrying an axe or a sword, all of which were angled for the kill. Ike and Ranulf could only freeze where they stood as the bandits snatched them by their arms and flung them to the turf.

"Crud," Ike spat angrily as he picked himself up.

"Well! Look what we 'ave here! If it ain't Greil's boy an' his pet cat!" the bandit nearest to the pair gloated. Ranulf grumbled.

"Yeah, they're even dumber than we thought!" a second bandit added. "Did you clods really think you were gonna escape from us? No castle be complete wit'out a secret exit, 'n we spotted dis here door 'fore we even knocked!"

"Enough! How did you creeps find this place?" Ike demanded.

"Haha, that's easy," the third bandit replied. "With so many people at that sub-human menagerie, it was easy fer one of us to blend in and spy on ya! We just happened upon some lone sub-humans and helped our humble selves to their fur…not that that was all we took, o'course. Hahaha!"

It was during the stretching second the bandits spent laughing that Ike and Ranulf noticed that the axes and swords pointed at them were stained with old blood…not all of which, they suspected, came from Jerec and Rosie.

"Curse you!" Ranulf retorted angrily. "You'll pay dearly for this!"

"Ha, that's what you think!" the first bandit replied and then whistled loudly. There were rustling sounds, the tramping of heavy boots and, in moments, at least a dozen more bandits joined their comrades in leering menacingly at the trapped adventurers.

"Damn!" Ike fumed. "Ranulf, this doesn't look good!"

"Well…crap. But don't worry, leave this to me. You get out of here!"

"What? But you can't beat all of them by yourself!"

"Wahaha! You two ain't nothin' without yer friends, now are ya?" the second bandit taunted.

"Let's see if you're still laughing when I go get them!" Ike shot back and then turned to Ranulf. "Looks like I have no choice but to let you do your thing. But be careful!"

"Of course!" Ranulf replied and then transformed. The bandits ahead of him readied their weapons and braced themselves, but they sorely underestimated Ranulf's speed and strength. He leaped into the bandit in front of him, knocking the villain clean off his feet, and then dashed away. He stopped in midstride to flick his tail tauntingly, as if to say "Catch me if you can, suckers!"

"After 'im!" the first bandit ordered his cohorts as he picked himself up off the turf.

The same dozen bandits who had appeared earlier now scrambled after Ranulf, giving Ike and opportunity to escape. With the sheath in hand, he lunged forward, smashing his shoulder against the side of one bandit's head, sending him sprawling to the dirt. Ike leapt over the bandit's prone form and made a dash for the woods. However, his escape had not gone unnoticed.

"Oh no ya don't! Hand over that sheath if ya know what's good fer ya, churl!" one bandit demanded as he pursued and came within arm's length of Ike.

Ike merely turned around and smiled.

"You want it? Think fast!"

With that, he shoved the sheath into the bandit's face at blinding speed. Ike swore he could hear the bandit's nose being crunched under the blow. As his pursuer toppled to the ground, Ike ran for the jungle as fast as his legs would carry him. Thankfully, though the bandits had followed him, they had fallen too far behind. Ike was far from relieved, however, and prayed that Ranulf would be alright. If those bandits caught him, they would surely kill him. As strong as he was, the blue cat laguz would never be able to take on all of those bandits alone. Ike had to alert the others, and fast. After all, he was the one that had dragged Ranulf into this situation in the first place and Caineghis would not be pleased if one of the finest officers in his army was hacked to pieces by lowly bandits. Nor, for that matter, would Ike ever forgive himself if Ranulf was killed. The blue cat laguz had never hesitated to come to Ike's aid, even back when they'd barely known each other.

"I'd hate myself for the rest of my goddess-damned life…" Ike uttered as he picked up the pace. "You can do this, Ranulf. I believe it. Please be safe when I get back…"

With that, Ike shook off these fearful thoughts and, after barely a half hour of frantic running, finally approached the retreat once again. As he had previously ordered, the mercenaries had taken up defense positions at the retreat, guarding the main building and the perimeter. However, Ike had become so exhausted from his run that he dropped to his knees in the clearing before he could approach any of his allies. Elincia, Soren, Rhys, and Titania, however, spotted him and instantly raced over, followed by Mist and Oscar.

"Ike! What's wrong? Are you alright?" Elincia frantically inquired.

"Yeah, what the heck happened? And where's Ranulf?" Oscar wondered.

"You better not have tried anything stupid!" Mist warned.

"No… Don't worry about me…" Ike panted. "I'll be fine."

"Then what's going on?" Titania demanded.

"Ranulf's in trouble. The bandits attacked us at the castle," Ike reported.

"What?"Soren exclaimed. "But how did they know to go there?"

"Simple. They spied on our meeting here. They killed some laguz and used the fur to make their their scents blend in with the other laguz here. Ranulf lured them away so I could come back here to get help."

"Blast! Then we have to go rescue him!" Oscar insisted.

"You'll get no argument from me," Ike assured. "Titania, Soren, and Rhys are with me. The rest of you will stay here until we get back, in case the bandits come back here again. Oscar, you're in charge of the defenses."

"Understood," Oscar replied.

"By the way, where'd that sheath come from?" Titania wondered.

"I'll explain on the way," Ike replied hurriedly. "Let's get moving!"

Ike turned back towards the jungle but, before he took even one step, an unfamiliar voice rang out from within the main hut of the retreat.

"That will not be necessary," a woman's voice informed him, though the speaker remained unseen. "I much appreciate your concern for young Ranulf, but he is well and nearby."

Ike was startled, and unconvinced, by the strange voice. Before he could reply, however, the unseen woman spoke again.

"Do not worry, young hero, for I speak true. Also, Jerec wishes to speak with you."

The blue haired mercenary was left quite muddled by this. A glance toward Soren revealed that his staff officer was uncharacteristically baffled. Not sure what else to do, Ike decided to find out who the speaker was and see after Jerec's wellbeing.

"I don't know what this is about, but keep ready to move," Ike commanded. "I'll make this quick."

With that, Ike rushed back into the retreat. He was soon greeted, however, by yet another elderly cat laguz shaman. This one, however, was neither Lillian nor Rosie, as she wore the head of a gray wolf as her ceremonial headdress, as well as a wolf's pelt festooned with canine teeth over a white tunic. Grayish blue cat ears poked out from beneath her headdress while a cat's tail of the same color extended behind her. Ike found it interesting that she was a cat wearing a wolf's garb and idly wondered what Kiel and Sara, two wolf tribe warriors he had befriended not long ago, would've made of it.

"Oh, pardon me," he spoke up. "You must be Silver Fang."

"Ah, that I am," Silver Fang replied with a smile. "You're Sir Ike, I presume. I sensed your presence, and your anxiety. Rose Thorn and Indigo Talon have told me all about you and your sister. Speaking of which, since they've revealed their true names to you, I shall do the same."

Silver Fang then lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Call me Bonnie," she requested.

"Oh, okay then," Ike replied. "But, you said you could tell that Ranulf was okay. How?"

Here, Bonnie chuckled good naturedly, though Ike felt a bit put out that she seemed so unconcerned about Ranulf.

"Well, that's quite a story, but I'll be succinct," Bonnie answered. "You are aware that, amongst the laguz, our ability to read the minds of others is the least potent? Well, we may not be able to read minds, but we can read nature. Beast tribe shamans can commune with the animals and the plants, and even the earth itself, to learn what we seek. I sensed your flight from Gebal Castle, and that you managed to evade one of your pursuers by ramming that sheath you carry into his face."

Ike's expression turned to one of slack jawed shock.

"Oh, your presence here is unmistakable," Bonnie went on. "Small birds and other tiny woodland creatures have mistaken your footfalls for an approaching thunderstorm. Via this communion, a shaman can read your movements, or another's, much the same way Ranulf's sense of smell could. Via that same method, I have determined that he is safe. In fact, he should be here at any moment."

"Ooookay," Ike murmured, still confused but somewhat reassured. "Well, is it alright if I talk to Jerec for a little bit? I won't be long."

"Of course. But don't forget that he needs his rest. We've also started giving him hourly checkups. It turned out that your group brought him here just in time. His case was quite severe. He wouldn't have lasted more than a couple hours in that state. And I must say, your friend is lucky that there was no lasting harm to his brain. Others suffering Flaming Skull come away blind or deaf or as cretins, and _that's_ if they come away alive at all. Not even we would have been able to save him had it come to that."

"Whoa. That's quite a relief. I'll be sure to keep this in mind."

Ike turned toward what must've been Jerec's room. Before he could enter, however, the sound of stomping feet echoed throughout the hall. Soon enough, Jerec himself had appeared. He looked alive, well and, unfortunately, quite furious.

"IKE!" he thundered, approaching the startled mercenary. "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me I was goddess-damn dying?"

"Oh! Goodness! You should be in bed!" Bonnie protested.

"Yeah, Jerec, just calm down," Ike added, raising his hands defensively. "We didn't tell you because we didn't want to freak you out or anything."

"Well, you should've said something, damn it!"

"Why?"

"Because regardless of when, how, or where I die, I have to know if my time might be near. That way, I'll know to tell someone that I want to be buried next to my father."

"I see. Bryce was buried in Daein, though. Are you sure you'd really want that for yourself as well? You _did_ say you weren't fond of that country anymore."

"Where Dad's grave is doesn't matter to me. I'd just want to be near him to show him how much I looked up to and respected him. When my mom died giving birth to me, it nearly broke him. The only people who gave my dad comfort were Ashnard's father, who was the previous Daein king, and myself. And despite that, he recriminated himself for years because he had sworn he would care for and protect my mother for as long as he lived, and felt that he'd failed. You might say she was a lot like Rhys. Everyone who knew her adored her, but she was so frail. Dad loved her with all his heart and did everything he could to restore her health, but it just wasn't enough. As sad as I was to see him so depressed, I'll never forget the day I said to him "Daddy, don't cry… Mommy still loves us in spirit."

"…Wow. That's…such a touching story, Jerec. And now I can see why Bryce was so loyal to Ashnard's father."

"Yeah, Dad vowed never to betray him or Daein, even if it meant serving a dastard like Ashnard. When I was trapped under the rubble at Nados Castle, he likely assumed I was dead. Then, he simply followed Ashnard because that dastard was all my father had left."

"So I could tell. If I had known all this, Jerec, I would've told you that you were dying. I considered abandoning the search for Ettard to find someplace where you could spend your final days in peace, but we figured that you would've wanted us to find Ettard before those bandits did."

"You're damn straight!"

"I'm terribly sorry."

"I agree. I'm so sorry about your poor mother," Bonnie added.

"It's alright. And I know, it's not your fault, Ike," Jerec replied. "Now, you must have a reason for being back here, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I had nearly forgotten," Ike realized. "Those bandits you told us about attacked Ranulf and I while we were searching for the next clue. Ranulf wanted me to run back here with the clue while he distracted the bandits. I was about to take a few of my men with me to help him out, but then Silver Fang here told me that Ranulf was okay. I…wasn't convinced, so I came in here to find out more, but I think she's right. Also, this should mean that the bandits are no longer after you, so you can rest easy."

"Well, that's good to know. But is that fool of a cat crazy?"

"Ranulf? Yeah, he's pretty crazy sometimes. But don't tell him I said that. By the way, how did you know I was out here?"

"Oh, I was hungry. I was looking for Silver Fang to find out where I could get some food, I haven't eaten in over a day, you know. And, I heard your voice out here."

"Oh, yeah. Rhys did say that Brain Fever, or Flaming Skull, as the Laguz call it, causes a loss of appetite."

"Ah, it is time that you put some food into that empty belly, isn't it?" Bonnie replied. "Don't worry, I'll get a meal prepared for you soon."

"Much obliged. And Ike, don't you dare get yourself killed out there. Or, I'll drag your carcass back here and give you what-for!"

"But of course," Ike promised, chuckling at the mock threat. "I'll see you later."

With that, the mercenary commander headed back outside to rejoin his comrades. Despite Bonnie's assurances, he wanted more concrete proof that Ranulf was alright. Once he was outside, Ike rejoined Titania, Soren, and Rhys.

"Well, Jerec's doing fine and the shaman Silver Fang seems certain that Ranulf is okay," he informed them. "But, I want to make sure for myself."

"You won't have long to wait," the voice of Bonnie rang out once more.

The mercenaries turned to see the wolf-masked shaman approaching them. When she had reached the group, she knelt and laid a hand upon the earth. As she did so, a sigh escaped her and she nodded.

"You will hear him momentarily as he approaches from that direction," she declared, pointing vaguely towards the jungle.

Needless to say, the mercenaries were skeptical.

"Where?" Mist inquired, looking quite confused.

"There," Bonnie reiterated.

"When?" Soren asked, sounding agitated.

Bonnie's lips pulled back in a smug grin and, after a moment, she replied "Now."

"IKE! WHERE ARE YOU?" a familiar masculine voice shouted in the distance in that same instant.

"Ranulf? RANULF! OVER HERE!" Ike replied, realizing who it belonged to and that, astonishingly, Bonnie had been right.

"Ike!" Ranulf called again, this time emerging from another trail in his human form. "I'm so glad you made it back to the others!"

"I'm glad you're alive!" Ike countered as the blue cat laguz approached him. "What about the bandits?"

"Them? Don't worry, I was able to lose them all the way back—"

"At the grove with the toucans and the warthogs," Bonnie finished. "Those warthogs were raising quite a ruckus there, weren't they?"

Ranulf's features only betrayed mild surprise. Clearly, he was no stranger to the shamans' ability to predicate the movements of others…and other, seemingly unknowable details.

"How does she bloody do that?" he asked no one in particular.

"Trust me, I'm confused about it too," Ike admitted. "You managed to lose them though? Wow, good job. We were on our way to help you fight them, but I guess that's not necessary now."

"Yeah, but we're not safe yet. They've probably split up and are searching for us as we speak. We've got to get away from here quickly."

"What? But we can't leave without Jerec or the camping gear!"

"Ike, I'm sorry, but the longer we stay, the more we risk them finding and destroying us all. And, if we're still here, they might attack the retreat while they've got the chance. They know we have the clue and they don't want us escaping with it. If we run though, they'll follow us and the retreat will be safe."

"Actually, there might be another way," Soren countered and then lowered his voice so the bandits' spying wouldn't work this time around. "Ike, what did you find in Gebal Castle, exactly?"

"Ranulf and I found this sheath in the basement of Gebal Castle," Ike answered, lowering his voice as well and holding the sheath out for Soren to examine. "And, we believe it's the sheath for Ettard because of how big it is."

"Yeah, that's got to be the biggest sword sheath I've ever seen," Rhys replied. "It must be taller than Mist, and it looks heavier than I am."

"But how is it supposed to tell us where to find Ettard?" Titania wondered.

"Did you find anything else?" Soren inquired.

"This pendant was inside of it," Ike continued, revealing the gold Ettard pendant around his neck. "And there's an inscription on it. But, I don't know what it means."

"I see," Soren replied. "And, the bandits only know about the sheath, I'm guessing. Correct?"

"Yeah," Ike confirmed. "I was able to hide the pendant. I could've let them have the sheath when they tried to steal it, but I decided that tricking them into thinking I needed it was a better plan, since they have no way of knowing there was more back in Gebal."

"Good show. If they know nothing about where we're headed next, then for all they know, we could be returning to Crimea right now. What we have to do is make it look like we've already left so they'll pursue us elsewhere."

"Soren, you're brilliant. Once we've packed up the camp and thrown them off our trail, we'll circle back to pick up Jerec and then hide until we figure out where to go next."

With that, the group returned to the retreat once more to rejoin their comrades. Once Ike explained Soren's plan to everyone, the mercenaries headed back towards their camp in hopes that they could dismantle it and leave before any bandits spotted them. They also had to hope that, by the time they were ready to leave, that Jerec would have recovered enough to travel with them. That is, if their next destination didn't also turn out to be in Gallia. Ike didn't much like the idea of having to re-pitch the camp if this were the case, particularly since the bandits seemed to know the jungle better then the mercenaries did. But, on the other hand, it would also mean that Jerec could continue to recover at the retreat. This was obviously a more appealing alternative than putting him back in the wagon. Though, of course, _that _still left the question of where the next clue might be. Ike had no idea how long Greil had lived in Gallia or where he had traveled in the nation. Ike knew that the retreat and Gebal Castle were important to Greil, but that was all. For all Ike knew, the location of the next clue could be practically anywhere, and might even be a place in Gallia he _did_ know, but could not recall due to the strange gap in his memories. And, to top it all off, the clue was damnably cryptic. Ike had no idea what "MRL, A12, 848" might mean. Whatever it meant, it was well-thought out.

Once the group had finished breaking camp and packing their tents and bedrolls into the wagon, they cautiously headed back towards the retreat, keeping a close eye out for the bandits. Ike had been lucky enough to prevent them from seeing the pendant once already. He certainly didn't want to run the risk that he wouldn't succeed a second time. Worse was the chance of the bandits seeing the inscription. Ike rather doubted that the bandits could divine the meaning of the cryptic inscription, but he wasn't going to take that chance. The mercenaries also had to hope that the shamans would allow Jerec to leave. Even Shinon didn't like the idea of leaving him behind, as he'd admitted that the lancer had guts. When the group arrived, Ike was pleased to see both Lillian and Bonnie outside awaiting them. Though the two shamans were reluctant to allow Jerec to leave so soon, they agreed to the idea, much to Ike and everyone else's relief.

"Just make sure he gets plenty of rest," Bonnie advised after Jerec had returned to the wagon. "And he shouldn't engage in any combat for at least a day."

"If he does happen to get hurt or anything, though, clean the wounds as quickly and thoroughly as possible," Lillian added. "His illness is in remission, but might worsen if you aren't careful."

"Got it. And don't worry, my healer will take care of everything. He's an expert at this stuff," Ike assured.

"That's good to know," Bonnie replied with a smile. "We wish you and Mist could bid Rose Thorn a proper good bye, but we understand that you're in a hurry."

"Yeah. Tell her we said good bye and good luck anyhow," Ike insisted, returning the gesture.

"But of course!" Bonnie agreed. "We wish you good luck too!"

"She _did_ ask us to give you this though," Lillian spoke up, handing Ike a satchel filled with roasted chicken wings and ribs. "She mentioned that, when you were old enough to eat this sort of food, you were especially fond of this spice."

"You ladies sure know the way to a guy's heart," Ike replied cheerfully. "My thanks to you, and to Rose Thorn. Farewell!"

With that, the mercenaries departed once more. They traveled as fast as they dared, given the dangerous undergrowth and the still-recovering Jerec. Once they'd put several hours between themselves and the retreat, they slowed down to figure out where would they hide until they'd figured out the meaning of the pendant's inscription. As if he had read Ike's mind, Ranulf soon approached the blue-haired mercenary with an answer.

"Hey Ike, I know the perfect place for us to go," he spoke up. "It's a location that only us beast laguz know about. I'll allow your group to hide there, at least temporarily, but everyone must promise to keep it a secret. We often use it to store extra supplies in case, say, a harsh winter or a flood rolls in. I can't stress enough that King Caineghis doesn't want to risk it being discovered by the wrong people."

"I see. Don't worry, everyone will stay quiet about it," Ike promised and then turned to his comrades. "Is this clear?"

The mercenaries nodded, except for Shinon.

"Pff, whatever…" he scoffed.

"Shinon, I swear, if you say a word about this to anyone, you're not getting paid for a year," Titania threatened.

"…Alright, fine."

"Then it's settled," Ike replied. "Ranulf, lead the way."

"With pleasure," Ranulf complied.

With that, the blue cat laguz motioned the group to follow him through the jungles once more. As usual, they proceeded cautiously in case any of the bandits were nearby. Ranulf had not reported smelling any beorc except for Ike and company, but it didn't mean that the enemy could not be close by. The bandits had outfoxed Ranulf by using the Fire Leaf repellent and using the fur from the slain laguz to disguise their scents. After all, just about anyone knew of the laguz's keen sense of smell and that they could sniff out enemies easily. What's more, laguz also had a heightened sense of hearing, raising their skill at detecting the presence of others even further. Even so, Ranulf made sure to let the group know if he smelled or heard anything unusual; beorc, laguz, Fire Leaf or anything at all. Along the way, Ike periodically checked on Jerec and Rhys, and was glad to see that Jerec was feeling much better. He reported that his headaches and neck pain had greatly diminished and that he hadn't been hearing of seeing things, though Jerec seemed unconvinced that he had been hallucinating in the first place.

"Ike, I've been thinking lately," Jerec said during the mercenary's third visit. "I want to help you out some more."

"Really? I appreciate it, but you're still recovering. Not just from the Brain Fever, but those injuries you had as well," Ike pointed out.

"True, but you saved my life. There must be some way I can thank you properly."

"Funny, I thought I was repaying you for helping to save _my_ life."

"Seriously? But, I didn't do much… I just made a stretcher out of your cape and a couple lances for the guys to carry you on."

"It was a safer way to move me than the guys lugging my body down the side of a rain soaked cliff with their bare hands."

"Yeah, but… If your mercenary company hadn't found me and helped me, I would have either bled to death or died of the Brain Fever. That's why I feel I should help find that sword. I already said I'd rather not see it in the dirty hands of those bandits anyway."

"Jerec, I don't know…"

"Oh, come on! I feel well enough to do _something_, damn it!"

"Hmm… Tell you what. There isn't anything you can do right now, but if I think of something, I'll let you know."

"Fair enough."

With that, Ike left the wagon. During the trip, Ranulf had led the group towards the mountains that served as the border between Gallia and Begnion. Ike knew the mountains could not be crossed or scaled, but perhaps the cat laguz was bringing them to some sort of cave or a plateau. It made sense, as caves were some of the best places to hide. They could easily be sealed off as well and, if the bandits _did_ find them, the mercenaries could use the entrance as a bottleneck and pick the bandits apart one by one as they came in. And, a plateau was almost as good, as the trails leading up to it could be easily defended and the approaching enemies would be exposed to ranged attacks all the way up. Either way, Ike was certain this detour would pay off if the bandits came knocking.

"Ike, we've only got a little more ways to go," Ranulf reported sometime later.

"Good. And we didn't find a single bandit. Let's hope it stays that way," Ike replied.

"Yeah," Ranulf agreed, then suddenly came to a halt. "…Wait. This is odd."

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you smell one _now._"

"Actually, no. I smell one of my subordinates."

"Huh? How is that unusual?"

"Because this one was supposed to be in Crimea, helping with the reconstruction. This better not mean somebody has screwed something up!"

Before Ike could reply, a yellow cat laguz in cat form burst into view. He reverted to human form when he approached Ranulf.

"Captain Ranulf! Thank goodness! I was just about to go looking for you," the subordinate greeted, then noting the beorc with surprise. "Hey, what brings Sir Ike and the Greil Mercenaries here? Or Queen Elincia, for that matter?"

"That's none of your concern. And besides that, it's a long story. Anyway, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be helping the Crimeans."

"I apologize. I can explain. I was on my way to the border when I heard that beorc bandits had been seen in this area. I thought I'd best check up on the supplies we stashed away in the secret cave, since it's originally my duty. But, when I got there, it was empty! Our supply cave's been looted!"

"What?" Ranulf exclaimed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. The whole place has been picked clean. There's absolutely nothing left!"

"Blast it! Those accursed bandits! They must have somehow found it! Go let his majesty know, but tell him that we're dealing with the problem right away."

"Aye, sir," the subordinate replied with a quick salute and then starting down the trail.

"Wait," Ike called out, and the subordinate skidded to a halt. "While you're speaking with Caineghis, tell him Ike is wondering if the…memorial is unharmed."

Ike knew that Caineghis would understand that the 'memorial' was his father's grave, but decided to keep his words cryptic. The bandits had prevented him from seeing if his father's grave was undisturbed, and he still wanted to ensure it stayed that way. And, as much as he trusted the laguz, he didn't want to run the risk that they'd learn about a dead beorc buried in their territory and plunder the grave out of anger.

"Yeah, do that, and deliver the King's reply to the Greil Mercenaries' fort. Get moving!" Ranulf commanded the subordinate, then turning to the mercenaries. "Come on, everybody!"

With that, Ike's group picked up the pace as Ranulf quickly led them to the cave he and the subordinate had been referring to. It was situated in a small valley within the foothills of the rugged, impassable mountain range. Ike could see why the Beast Tribe had chosen this place to store emergency supplies. It was difficult for him and his fellow beorc to climb over the steep hills and it was not easily seen from many angles, even by a laguz. But still, someone had reportedly found and emptied it anyway. Puzzled, and alarmed, Ike and the others approached the cave. When Ranulf and Ike entered, however, they immediately saw that the subordinate had not been lying. The entire cave was filled with crates and trunks, but all of them were overturned and empty.

"Damn! This place _was_ looted…!" Ranulf realized. "The theft wasn't recent either. I can smell the bandits' scents and their Fire Leaf here, but both scents are real faint."

"And that means we can't follow and overtake them to get the supplies back. Damn it…" Ike seethed.

"Well, all we can do now is figure out that clue," Ranulf replied.

"Yeah, seems so."

Ike then motioned the group to enter while the wagon was left on the mountain trail outside. He produced the pendant he had hidden beneath his clothes and approached Soren and Oscar.

"Hey Soren, Oscar, you two are good at figuring these sorts of things out," he entreated. "Can either of you decipher the inscription on this?"

Ike then handed the jewelry to Soren while both men scrutinized it closely.

"Hmm…" Oscar contemplated. "MRL, A12, 848…? I apologize, Ike, but as much as I hate to admit it, I'm clueless this time."

"Dang. Well, how about you, Soren?"

When Soren spied the inscription, his eyes bulged and his jaw dropped.

"…Ike, why didn't you mention this to me sooner?" Soren demanded incredulously.

"What do you mean?" Ike wondered, startled by the outburst.

"I know exactly what this means. If you'd brought it up earlier, we wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of coming all the way here."

Ike then slapped his face in aggravation, but consoled himself that, had he done differently, the looting of the supply cave would've gone undiscovered…likely until it was too late.

"…Well, never mind about that. Just tell us."

"Very well. MRL stands for Melior Royal Library. I would know this easily. I went there not long before Daein declared war on Crimea, remember?"

"Oh yeah…" Ike recalled.

"Wait, then that means…" Oscar replied. "Archive 12, book number 848! The clue is a book from the royal library!"

"What? You mean we have to go from here all the way to bloody _Melior_ now?" Shinon complained.

"Yeah, it is pretty far," Ike agreed. "But we have no choice. Let's move out!"

"Damn it. The things I do for money…" Shinon grumbled as the group headed back outside.

Once the group exited the cave and began descending back towards the jungle again, Ike could only contemplate Soren's discovery. This could only mean that Greil had also been to the Melior Royal Library at least once in his lifetime. This wasn't too surprising, as he seemed to have a lot of knowledge on Crimea as well as Gallia. Ike could only hope that his group could get there before the bandits found them. Or, worse, before the bandits beat them to the next piece of the puzzle, which might very well be Ettard itself.


	12. The Secret Sword: Part 5

**Falchion1984: In case anybody's wondering, 'Dew of the Sea' is a nickname for Rosemary. Rosemary can be used as an herbal smelling salt, which can revive someone who has fainted, and is preferred over traditional smelling salts since there is no ammonium gas involved. Finally, the settlement in the cave is part of a hypothetical, but plausible, scenario describing how the Gallian nation was first established, as Jill and Lethe's Supports reveal that it was founded by laguz slaves escaping from Begnion. Such a settlement might have been established - as a defensible sanctuary as well as a home - when the escaped slaves first arrived.**

Part 5: Storm Clouds Gather

A few hours had passed since Soren had divined the meaning of the latest clue, and Ike and company spent that time hiking back through the valley and hacking their way through the jungle beyond the mountains. The mercenaries had traveled as fast as they'd dared, hoping to cross the border once again by nightfall, but the pace had begun to tell on them. Mist and Mia, normally unflagging, began to stumble with exhaustion and Gatrie, even after shedding his heavy armor, lagged behind and looked as though he was in agony from the heat. Ike was particularly concerned about Elincia, who was less accustomed to hard travel than the others, but she insisted that she was fine. Ike regarded her hunched form and heavily perspiring face dubiously, but he could see that the fire in her eyes remained unquenched. She might not be as seasoned as the other mercenaries, but she was clearly determined to keep up nonetheless. Even so, Ike told her that if she ever grew too exhausted, she was free to ride in the wagon. Elincia nodded gamely and, thusly reassured, Ike turned his thoughts to what possibly awaited him in the Melior Royal Library. Ike briefly consulted once more with Soren, knowing that the mage was the only one of the mercenaries to visit the library, but Soren was certain that the library code they'd discovered did not belong to any book he'd previously read. Still, perhaps owing to Soren and Oscar's influence, Ike could already infer a few things about the book they now sought.

Obviously, the book they were looking for had to be something Greil knew very well and was, perhaps, important to him, especially if he'd recorded its library code. Maybe it was a book he had donated himself, or even one he'd brought with him when he'd left Daein? But, why had Greil hidden the next clue all the way back in Melior? And for that matter, how exactly would it help Ike and company? Ike rather doubted there would be another note hidden inside of it, as was the case with Greil's old desk and his belongings from the retreat. In the Royal Library, such an obvious clue as a note hidden inside of a book would have already been found, especially considering how much time had passed since Greil had first hidden the clues. Melior's library was so large and busy that many, _many_ books got checked out and returned on a daily basis. All manner of people, students researching for school projects, scholars involved in intensive studies, squires studying the history of the knighthood, lovers of fiction seeking interesting titles, and even archivists making sure everything was present and catalogued, thronged the place. Anything hidden there would not remain so for very long…and might even be found by the wrong people. Soren had said as much himself when Ike voiced his suspicion. All Ike could do was remind himself that his father had always been very foresighted and that, as with the prior notes, his clue might seem incomprehensible, or even go unnoticed, to most would-be discoverers. Still, he didn't want to run the risk that his luck would change for the worse, and so he pressed on.

Ike also hoped that Jerec would soon be well enough to battle, as the group would surely encounter the bandits again. The mercenary commander doubted that the ex-Daein captain would mind paying the brutes back for what they had done to him, plus, the more allies Ike and company had, the better their chances of defeating the enemy without suffering too many casualties. However, Jerec's condition was much like Ike's when he was recovering from his brutal fight against Arius. It had taken him weeks to be well enough to even pick up a weapon again, and Ike still could not be certain if he himself was fit for combat. If the mercenaries were going to need Jerec's help to defeat the bandits, they could only hope that whatever strength he managed to recover would be enough.

Ike's thoughts were interrupted, however, when Ranulf suddenly halted in his tracks.

"Uh oh…" he spoke up. "Guys, wait."

"What's wrong?" Ike wondered and signaled everyone to halt.

"There's a lot of rain on the way," Ranulf reported. "I can smell it. The air is growing moist and has a briny smell, so the downpour's not far off."

Soren, his brow furrowing, tilted his gaze skyward and drew in a long breath. Strangely, he didn't exhale. Instead, it seemed as though he was tasting a current of air…and that the flavor nearly made him choke.

"Oh no…" he rasped after a fit of coughing. "I can feel the winds churning towards the south. A storm front is blowing in. The shamans warned us about this, but they said the rain wouldn't be coming until later. The storm must've picked up speed while out at sea. This is bad."

"Damn it," Ike grumbled. "Can we make it to the border before it starts coming down?"

Even as he asked the question, however, Ike knew the answer. The mercenaries had pressed themselves hard to travel as far as they had, and several of them looked ready to drop. Inevitably, Ranulf confirmed Ike's fears with a grim shake of his head.

"Not a chance, I'm afraid. We'd need at least half a day to reach the border from here, and that storm will be on us way too soon. Also, pressing on in the rain is too dangerous. The jungle beneath us floods easily, and we'd run the risk of losing our footing up here and falling, what with the wind and rain pounding us."

"Crud!" Ike snarled. "Is there anywhere nearby where we can find shelter until the storm passes over?"

"I wish I could say yes, but in all honesty, I'm not sure," Ranulf admitted, hurriedly mulling over the dilemma. "I don't think we have enough time to hike back to the supply cave. Still, a lot of other caves have been found in these mountains, so I wouldn't be surprised if there is one close by that would do."

"Alright, then let's start searching for one, and fast. You take point, I'll join you after I let Jerec and Rhys know what's going on."

"Sounds good to me."

With that, Ike headed back towards the wagon and popped his head in, seeing that Jerec was laying down on one of the sleeping bags with Rhys watching over him. Luckily for Ike, Jerec hadn't dozed off. In fact, the ex-Daein captain seemed to be glaring at the ceiling, deep in thought. The mercenary commander quickly clambered into the wagon and approached the pair.

"Ah, Jerec, glad to see you're not sleeping," Ike spoke up.

"Oh, Ike. Hey there. Why'd we stop?" Jerec wondered.

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Rhys added.

"Sort of. Ranulf caught the scent of a downpour heading our way, so now we have to look for shelter…again," Ike reported.

"Oh dear…" Rhys uttered.

"Aw for crying out loud!" Jerec grumbled. "Are we ever going to get out of this damn jungle?"

"We will, it's just taking longer than expected. Sorry, Jerec," Ike replied. "I'm just as frustrated as you are, believe me. But hey, there's one good thing about this. If we can't travel through this weather, the bandits shouldn't be able to either. If they try it, the weather will beat them better than we could."

"Well, that's true," Jerec admitted. "At least we don't have to worry about them finding us then."

"Exactly."

"Right. Well, if you need a hand, let me know. I'm getting bored to death in here."

"Of course."

"And by the way. No offense to Rhys, but I don't need a nursemaid."

"Yeah, that's what I said when I was in your place. Didn't do me any good either. Still, we just want to make sure you recover without any problems. We might run into these bandits again, if the weather doesn't get them first, and I'm hoping you'll be well enough to fight with us if we need you."

"I like the sound of that."

"Good. Then concentrate on getting better."

Jerec nodded and went back to glaring at the ceiling, though with a hint of a smile on his face. Rhys, however, did not look enthused at Ike's suggestion. Still, Ike was certain that he could count on Rhys to make the right decision as to whether or not Jerec was well enough to fight. And, hopefully, Jerec would have the sense to listen to that decision. With that, Ike exited the wagon and raced to join the rest of his comrades in searching for a new shelter. If Ranulf was right and there were a lot of caves in the mountains, it wouldn't take long to find one suitable for the Greil Mercenaries. They'd need to find one large enough for the whole group. Ike wasn't going to have them split up if he could possibly help it, and if the humidity that the rain would create in the jungle could reach them, then a cave with a water supply would also be essential. The search had barely begun, however, when grayish blue clouds began to billow in from the south and fill the sky, casting the steep trail into darkness. It wasn't until faint claps of thunder echoed off the peaks, however, that the mercenaries began to worry.

"Blast!" Ranulf exclaimed. "It must've gained strength since the shamans first got wind of it. I didn't expect it to be a full-blown storm!"

"Neither did I," Ike replied. "Everyone, move it!"

The group didn't hesitate to obey. Everyone snatched up a torch and began to search for a suitable shelter, and even Jerec and Rhys eventually joined in. Ike was wary about Jerec being outside on a steep mountain trail while it was raining and when a dizzy spell might prove fatal. Still, more eyes searching bettered their chances, leaving Ike with little choice but to accept the risk. And soon enough, it paid off.

"Hey, Ike! I think this one will do!" Oscar called out sometime later from an upward branch of the mountain trail.

"Alright, I'll take a look!" Ike called back, motioning Ranulf to follow him. The two were only halfway to Oscar's location, however, when the rain suddenly began to fall. It began as only a drizzle, but Ranulf's eyes had gone wide with alarm. And, Ike knew why. It wouldn't be long before the drizzle became a deluge; one that could either bury them in a mudslide, or send them hurtling down the cliff, or both. Worse still, by the time Ike and Ranulf reached Oscar, unfortunately, the peals of thunder had grown all the more fearsome.

"Damn it…" Ike uttered under his breath as he and Ranulf approached the lance paladin. Behind Oscar was, as he had said, the opening of a large cave. In fact, the entrance was so high, the horses would probably be able to rear back on their hind legs inside and still only brush the ceiling with the tips of their ears.

"This is it," Oscar spoke up.

"Oh wow. This should be perfect," Ike replied. "Good work, Oscar."

"Ah, don't mention it."

"Ranulf, there's no one already inside, is there?" Ike inquired, motioning the cat laguz to use his nose once again.

"Nope, I don't smell anyone," Ranulf replied, not bothering to hide his relief. "It should be safe."

"Excellent. Everyone, up here!" Ike shouted, again and again until his throat was sore. One beacon from a mercenary's torch flared as it was lifted in reply, followed by another and another. The beacons began to migrate in Ike's direction and, after a quick head-count, all were accounted for. The group rushed into the cave, which turned out to be as big as Ike expected, perhaps even bigger. The chamber they had entered was massive, easily as large as Castle Crimea's main hall, while the tunnel leading deeper into the mountain was as wide as Ike's bedroom. There was definitely more than enough room for the entire group to stay until the fierce weather passed over. It was quite fortunate that Oscar had found the cave when he did; by the time the group had finished settling in, the rain was pouring down hard enough to flatten a beorc village in minutes. Lightning flashed through the sky while peals of thunder boomed overhead. The wind soon gained in force as well, shrieking like a wolf's howl amidst the peaks.

"Wow…" Elincia commented as she eyed the terrible, and clearly hazardous weather. "It looks like we're going to be here for a while…"

"Yeah, I smell a lot of rain coming now," Ranulf agreed. "I've seen a storm or two like this one before; and I was lucky that it wasn't the last thing I ever saw. It could take days for this to pass over."

"Damn, this is bad," Ike opined. "Not only are we badly delayed in our search, Elincia is stuck with us."

"Since when is that something you complain about?" Shinon countered with a sneer, which turned all the more derisive when Ike wheeled on the bowman.

"Ike, it's okay. I'll be alright," Elincia insisted, nudging closer to him and laying a gently restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you've stayed longer than Geoffrey and Lucia wanted. They're going to kill me when they notice you're still gone."

"They _can _be a bit overprotective. You didn't see it, but they raised such a fuss when I decided that I wanted to fight alongside you during the war; more so than I had expected. Still, it's not your fault this happened. I'm sure they'll understand. And even if they didn't, I'd order them not to punish you for anything."

"…Well, if you say so. Thanks, Elincia."

"You're welcome, Ike," Elincia replied with a loving smile. "And besides, you've stood up for me plenty of times. I'd be happy to do the same for you; and I doubt I'm alone in saying so. The country has a lot of respect for you."

"Yeah, that's definitely true," Ike agreed, recalling with some abashment the fame that his heroics in the Mad King's War and Battle of the Beast had earned him. "Hey Jerec, are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Jerec assured. "I can rest up while we're stuck here."

"Really? Through all this rain and thunder?"

"Yep. Believe it or not, I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper. It's something of an occupational hazard with us infantry, when we have to make forced marches to keep up with the cavalry."

"Huh, I would've never guessed. Explains why you dozed off so easily back at the camp."

"And during the healing ritual," Boyd added. "He was sleeping like a baby in two minutes flat."

"Shut it, Boyd," Jerec retorted angrily, his cheeks going pink with embarrassment. "It wasn't my fault they had me laying there in the middle of the room on a soft knitted blanket. Besides, I was still feeling drowsy from losing all that blood."

"And when they woke him up with that stuff to give him the medicine, Ike, oh it was hilarious," Boyd continued. "I think they called it Dew of the Sea. It's supposed to be a powerful flower which, when you grind up, has an odor that snaps you awake almost instantly."

"Boyd!" Jerec growled.

"No, wait, I'd like to hear this," Ike insisted with a chuckle.

"Aw, come on!" Jerec complained.

"Oh don't be so sensitive," Boyd chastised. "Anyway, when Silver Fang motioned Brother Crocodile to bring the bowl of ground flower over and she held it in front of Jerec's nose, his eyes shot open and he shouted "WHOA!" He sat up so fast that his fist ended up going into Brother Crocodile's crotch! And boy was he _mad!_"

With that, Boyd and Ranulf fell over laughing. Ike and several others joined in while Jerec just sat there with his hand over his face, which had turned as red as his hair.

"Yeah, it was pretty funny alright," Titania agreed. "Even Soren was cracking up."

"Admittedly," Soren confirmed, unable to suppress a chuckle.

"Oiy, that must have been embarrassing for both of them," Elincia added, giggling.

"Totally," Ike agreed, his laughing finally subsiding. "I'm guessing this didn't improve Brother Crocodile's fondness for having guests. So, tell me more about the healing ritual, you guys."

"Yeah, I'm curious too! It's been quite some time since I last saw one," Ranulf seconded.

"Alright then, allow me," Oscar stepped in with a smile. "As Jerec said, the shamans first had him lay down on a knitted blanket in the center of a very big room. It was supposed to help his body relax. And boy, did it. Then they dimmed the room by closing the doors and covering the windows, lighting it only with small candles. Brother Crocodile then brought out the small bowl of medicine which Jerec was meant to drink at the end."

"Ah, I remember that now. Normally, the medicine is made during these rituals. The rain here can cause trouble, even for us; and so, the shamans made more than usual so they'd have enough in stock for the weather," Ranulf replied. "Injured laguz might be brought to the retreat for healing, or the shamans might have to send the medicine to Gallian villages which need it."

"Exactly. Brother Crocodile then placed the bowl on the floor in front of Jerec. He was then joined by a few other shamans and together they performed this interesting dance in a circle around the bowl while several others started tracing these intricate patterns of runes around Jerec and the bowl. The rest gathered in a circle and played small drums. Indigo Talon explained that they were asking the land to infuse its energies into the medicine to make it stronger. She said that the laguz can feel these energies and use these rituals to summon and channel it."

"I see…" Ike replied, though he was clearly a bit confused.

Oscar continued his story, recounting that the shamans all wore ritual masks, some rather creepy-looking. Once the dance was complete and the runes were drawn, the medicine could be given to Jerec. Silver Fang and Indigo Talon also recited a chant in the ancient tongue, though Soren didn't quite understand every word. Silver Fang was glad to translate later. The shamans also carried finely decorated sticks which they used in their ritual dance. The sticks had feathers and claws strung about them and markings were carved with intricate runes. When these were arranged around the bowl of medicine following the dance, the liquid in the bowl had boiled…seemingly for no reason. At that point, the medicine seemed to be ready. Jerec, as Boyd described, had fallen asleep during the dance, and Brother Crocodile fetched the Dew of the Sea. After he was awakened, Jerec drank the medicine.

"That stuff tasted horrible, but it was worth it to feel better in the end," Jerec described. "I didn't think I could take another splitting headache."

"Yeah, I bet," Ike replied, his words true in more ways than one.

"Why did that one shaman have to wear that scary mask though?" Mist wondered. "That thing was so creepy, I thought I was going to faint. And, I didn't even know what it was!"

"I thought it was cool!" Rolf countered. "It looked kinda like a dragon, but it didn't have horns, the head looked a lot different. And, those teeth were longer than my arms. In fact, I liked all the masks, but that one was my favorite."

"The whole thing was rather boring, if you ask me," Shinon piped up. "Though, Jerec punching Brother Crocodile in the nuts was entertaining."

Titania merely rolled her eyes.

"Unlike certain parties in here, I found it fascinating. In fact, I might want to learn more about these laguz rituals," she affirmed. "Also, I asked about the mask that Rolf and Mist mentioned, as I'd never seen such a creature before. The shamans told me that _nobody_ had seen creatures like those; that they "were here before us, but are now gone." I'd like to find out what they meant by that, and what those creatures are…or, were, I guess."

"I agree. Learning more about those rituals would greatly help my studies in medicine too," Rhys added. "Though, I can't picture myself being able to handle those dances."

"Well, Soren and I could definitely help with that!" Ranulf offered with a smile. "There isn't a Gallian alive more agile than me, and I was raised by the shamans too."

"Ranulf probably knows more about it than I do, but yes," Soren seconded.

"Well, I think I'm going to go explore this place a bit more," Ike decided. "If we are going to be stuck here for days, we should see if there's anything here we could use. Like water or even food."

"Possibly," Soren replied. "But if there were, wouldn't Ranulf be able to smell them?"

"Not with the scent of rain clogging up my sinuses," Ranulf groused. "I couldn't smell a rat standing ten feet away in this weather."

"Well, then that settles it. I'll be back later," Ike replied and got up.

"Ike, I'll go with you," Elincia decided, her voice becoming firm when she saw Ike's brow crease with worry. "And don't say no, because I refuse to sit around all day. I do enough of that at the castle."

"…Well, alright. I'll admit you have a point. Just don't leave my side, alright?"

"But of course."

"Take a torch too, Ike," Titania insisted. "It's probably going to be darker as you get further in."

"Right," Ike agreed and grabbed a torch out of the wagon.

"And behave," Titania finished firmly, rather than the almost joking tone she'd used at the fort…before finding the couple sharing a bed.

"We know…" Ike replied with a sigh. "We're not children, Titania."

Despite his agitated words, Ike could see that Titania's warning was a wise one. Both he and Elincia stood to lose a great deal if their romance was exposed prematurely…and a great deal more if they allowed their passions to overwhelm them. With that in mind, he and Elincia entered the tunnel that led deeper into the cave. As Titania had surmised, it gradually got darker as the pair traversed deeper and deeper into the winding passage, and Ike was forced to ignite the torch after only a few minutes of travel. It was quiet, eerily quiet, in fact, and normally Elincia would have normally felt quite nervous in such ghostly silence. But, as long as Ike was with her, she would go just about anywhere without the slightest hint of anxiety. She took his free hand lovingly, which made her feel much better. Ike could only smile back and laced his fingers with hers. Moments later, however, a loud squeaking echoed through the tunnel and a pair of rats scurried by.

"Eek!" Elincia screeched, clutching Ike's arm and frantically huddling close to him.

"Elincia! It's okay, they're gone," Ike assured, trying not to sound amused at her panic. "They were just rats. Still, be careful. Anyone knows that they tend to carry diseases, so don't let one bite you."

"Ah, y-yes, of course. They're so vile anyway," Elincia replied, still hanging onto her lover's arm.

"Are you alright? Are you cold or anything? If so, I don't mind taking you back to the others."

"Oh, no, I'll be fine. You always make me feel safe."

"Heh, I'm glad."

With that, the couple continued down into the tunnel. The ghostly silence had settled over the passage once more but, again, it proved to be short lived. Ike soon halted when a very familiar scent reached his nostrils.

"What's wrong, Ike?" Elincia wondered.

"I don't believe this. I smell water up ahead. A lot of water," Ike replied. "Yet, we're moving _away_ from the rain; and, I don't hear thunder or the sound of rain pouring in either. That can only mean one thing."

"There must be a river or something up ahead!"

"Exactly. And a river means water! Maybe even fish!"

With that, the two hurried on, hoping that the surmised river wasn't much farther ahead. Minutes later, the heart-warming noise of gently flowing water reached their ears.

"Hear that? We were right!" Ike proclaimed. The pair traversed the remainder of the passage at a run and once they rounded the next corner of the tunnel, they found a subterranean river flowing out from an adjacent tunnel and coursing deeper into the heart of the mountain. On the far side of the river, however, was an even greater discovery. It was a large, open cavern littered with the remains of small wooden houses. At the river's bank was an ancient pier, upon which sat a few boats, covered with grit and piles of dusty oars. Some of the doors and windows on the houses sagged on loose hinges or had fallen off completely while much of the wood from the houses was warped by the moist air and covered with moss and mold. A few broken window shutters and roof shingles were scattered across the ground as well.

"Holy…" Ike blurted moments later, extinguishing torch's flame. "I don't believe it."

"Yeah. These are old ruins!" Elincia observed curiously. "I bet this is an ancient laguz settlement."

"Most likely. This place could date all the way back to when the beast tribe first settled in Gallia. It seems old enough, and it's so well-hidden that not even Ranulf seems to know about it. Otherwise, he'd have mentioned it to us."

"I agree. This is so fascinating! Please, can we get closer and look around?"

"Sure!"

Any bridges that might've once spanned the river were long since gone, so the couple was forced to find a shallow, gently flowing area of the river and wade across. They emerged dripping and cold, but hardly minded. Aside from having a convenient excuse to huddle together, the ruins were well worth the effort of the crossing.

The various dwellings were austere and functional, but were snug and sturdily built. A large open area, perhaps a marketplace or an arena, lay in the heart of the settlement while a taller structure rose above like a vigilant sentinel. This building, and a collection of low roofed structures in its shadow, caught Elincia's eye.

"Strange, these buildings here remind me of the Royal Villa," she commented wistfully.

"Really?" Ike wondered.

"Yeah. The villa was out in the countryside, to the west of Melior. It was sort of like a small village; aside from the manor, there was also the dormitory for the staff, the stables and the gardens where vegetables, herbs and flowers were grown. It's a very beautiful place; peaceful and quiet, and I had such fun there…"

"I bet. It sounds like I'd even enjoy living there."

"Oh, you would, Ike. I was raised like a normal girl there instead of like a real princess. I played with my friends outside, I was taught to clean, cook, sew, and ride. My lord uncle also trained me in sword-fighting. In fact, I didn't even dress like a princess. I just wore normal clothes. I might have missed out on being close to my parents, but I still enjoyed living there."

"I see. It sounds wonderful."

"It really was," Elincia agreed and lovingly buried herself into Ike's torso. "I'm glad I've been able to see so much of the world since then, but I do miss my time at the villa. I miss feeling…well, normal. It seems like, nowadays, my life is anything but. Lately, it's been just one crisis after another. I pass my days wearing formal clothes, dealing with stuffy nobles and chairing meetings that are boring and dreary on good days and which are frustrating and depressing on bad days. I think about the times we had in the Mad King's War and, as hard as it was, I miss it. I miss seeing new places, I miss the friends I made. I even miss sleeping in a tent and having to cook my own dinner. Most of all though, I miss you."

"I miss you too," Ike replied, cupping Elincia's cheek as he returned her hug.

"At times, I just wish I could get away from it all. I wasn't raised to be a queen and, to be honest, I don't think I'll ever manage as one. I know you believe otherwise, and I'm glad you do. But, it seems that for every right decision I make, I also make two wrong ones. If I could, I'd gladly be a simple housewife and sword-fighter rather than a queen."

"I know what you mean…well, sort of. I _was_ raised to take over the mercenaries, but what lessons I had didn't count for much when the time came. My father made it look so easy, but it turns out that it was anything but. During the battle at Gebal Castle, when the Daeins nearly overran us, I suddenly realized that everybody's lives rested on my decisions, on my judgment. And, that scared me. It still does, in fact."

Elincia's wistful expression turned to one of iron-clad determination and she pressed a finger against Ike's lips to silence any forthcoming self-criticism.

"You're a great leader, Ike," she said in a blunt, but not unkind voice. "Don't let anybody tell you otherwise; not even yourself."

"Thanks, Elincia," Ike replied. "Still, sometimes I wish my father was still here. He might've seen ways around some of the mistakes I made. He might even have found a solution for, well, _us_."

Elincia, knowing all too well what he meant, leaned into his broad form, resting her cheek against his heart.

"…Oh, Ike, sometimes I just wish we could get away from… from everything. If I weren't a royal, I'd marry you as soon as I could…and we'd live in a cozy little house in a peaceful town…we'd raise beautiful children together…and I'd cook you your favorite meals whenever you had a hard day doing mercenary work…"

"Heh," Ike replied, a large grin forming on his face as he hugged her tighter. "That does sound quite appealing. But it will all happen someday. As long as we believe that and never give up, it will."

"Oh, I know…I just wish I could see how. I'm not even half the ruler that my father was, or that my lord uncle would have been, but there is no one else to take the throne. And, as much as I hate being queen and how poorly suited I am for it, I know that my people need me, and I cannot trust any of those other nobles to let them have the throne. I care about Crimea and my people a lot, and I want to help them, but I don't need to sit on a throne to do that. You proved as much yourself by saving the whole country from Ashnard's wrath."

"Yeah. But, you're loyal to your people and your duty. I respect that. And I wouldn't take you against your will. I love you too much for that."

"I know. Thank you, Ike. I love you more than anything."

"You're very welcome, my love. …Say, those boats look like they might still be fit for the water. Why don't we take one down the river and see where it leads? It might take us to an underground lake where we'd find good fishing. And, it sounds romantic."

"Oh, it certainly does! I wouldn't mind that at all. Let's just hope it doesn't take us outside."

"Oh, yeah. If it does, though, I'll row us back here."

"Okay."

With that, Ike led Elincia to the ancient pier. He grabbed hold of one of the healthier looking boats and overturned it to dump out dirt and dust. With that done, he gently lowered the craft into the water. After seeing that it wouldn't sink, the two then climbed aboard, with Ike taking hold of the oars. He then gently pushed off from the pier and began rowing downstream, towards the tunnel leading off into the distance.

For the first few minutes, the tunnel was nearly pitch-dark. Not that Ike minded, for he soon felt a lithe form carefully sidle over and huddle next to him. Even in the dark, he knew who the unseen form was, and that she was smiling as much as he was at their proximity. Later, however, the tunnel grew brighter, and Ike and Elincia's smiles were replaced with slack-jawed wonderment.

Ahead appeared rocky outcropping, arcing upward and descending in almost graceful curves while, below, the water had turned an intense shade of blue. More remarkable still, stalactites of crystal descended from the ceiling and jutted out from the walls, catching the strange light in dazzling patterns of reflected color. Ike found himself wondering where the light might be coming from, and his question was soon answered when a huge fish broke the surface of the water.

A huge, _glowing_ fish.

Ike's disbelieving eyes followed the fish to discover, to his amazement, that the river teemed with luminescent fish; some large, some small, and most of a sort unfamiliar to him.

Elincia clambered to the prow, awed by the sights; Ike, feeling no less amazed, let his eyes roam over the marvels of this hidden wonder. After rowing some distance, Ike brought the oars to rest and let the boat drift in the placid water. Gazing at Elincia, he saw her continuing to gape at their surroundings with rapt fascination, not unlike when she'd seen a town for the first time. As it often did, her delight summoned a broad grin to his own face, which she returned when her gaze found his. She then sidled back over to him once he let the oars go and the boat drift and rested her head upon his shoulder. Ike lovingly wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Ike, you were right. This _is_ really romantic," Elincia spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Yeah… Jerec was right, though. We _do_ pick the weirdest places to date," Ike replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't care. It wouldn't matter to me if we were in a mineshaft or dungeon, I'd still be happy because you'd be with me."

"Aw shucks… It's starting to get hot in here, though. Feels dry too."

Ike wiped a little sweat from his brow. Oddly, it seemed to vanish before he could flick it away.

"'Dry?'" Elincia repeated, dumbfounded. "On a _river__?_"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I meant it. I feel like I just dumped a bucket of sand down my throat. Heck, the rest of me feels like that too. These heavy clothes aren't helping much either."

"Hee hee, you know you're free to take off your tunic and shirt," Elincia giggled.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ike said cheekily.

With that, Ike slowly unknotted his red cape and slipped off his blue tunic, followed by his dark red undershirt, revealing the sculpted muscles and lingering battle scars he had earned during the war. Elincia gave an appreciative purr, tracing a finger over the rock-hard dome of one of Ike's biceps while her lips gently pressed against one particular, still fresh scar at Ike's neck.

"The one time I thought I'd lost you," she recalled.

"You didn't," he pointed out, tenderly cupping her chin. "And, you won't."

Elincia's hands roamed Ike's warm, bare chest and slid across his shoulders and back, each caress eliciting a shuddering gasp from Ike. His own hands ran along the curves of Elincia's supple form, tracing the contours of her hips and buttocks and migrating to the heaving mounds of her breasts before becoming entangled in her lustrous hair.

"You look good in that tunic," he commented, his tone husky and his voice strained. "Still, I think it has to go."

Ike felt the all too familiar urge that he'd felt back at the fort when he and Elincia shared a room; and, with it, the warning that they were skirting too close to a dangerous threshold that neither of them could afford to cross. But, as was the case then, this voice was drowned out by the presence of his love.

Elincia, it seemed, no less bewitched. Her lithe fingers grappled with the thongs of her tunic and, when these fell away limply, she beckoned for her love to complete the task.

Ike's hands, large and brawny, descended to Elincia's tunic, working deftly to pull it up and over her head. Revealed beneath was a gauzy white slip, held in place by knotted straps. The undergarment was soaked with sweat, no doubt from their trying hike through the jungle, and seemed very nearly transparent. Slightly abashed, but not deterred, Ike stroked Elincia's smooth arms while their lips met for the first time in hours.

Again and again, their lips crashed together; and each time, the flames crackling in their hearts burned brighter and hotter. Slowly, but surely, their restraint began to warp and then melt under the ever more fervent onslaught of caresses, kisses and moans. An act of overwhelming passion, made in the heat of the moment and then regretted for a lifetime, may very well have occurred if not for a curious act of providence…which nearly proved fatal.

For a brief eternity, the pair had entirely forgotten that they were still drifting down the river. Gradually, so much so that they didn't even notice, the waters grew choppy and the current more rapid. The boat began to tilt beneath the passionate lovers, first gently and then lurching wildly. Finally, the rapids sent the boat careening into the wall of the tunnel, snapping the couple out of their trance.

"Oof! Huh?" Elincia yelped as her shoulder crashed into Ike's chest.

"Ouch!" Ike shouted.

"Oh, sorry! Ah, Ike! That current!"

"Whoa! Hang on to me, Elincia!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

As the couple was brought back to awareness, they could see that they had been carried far downstream and into treacherous waters. The once intensely blue water had turned white, foaming as it thundered forth with ever greater speed. The current rapidly gained in strength, sending the boat listing violently and nearly capsizing it more than once. Elincia, now terrified, frantically grabbed her tunic and looked about hopelessly for something, _anything_, that might arrest their deadly journey. Ike, already seeing nothing in the endless channel of foam that could help them, snatched the oars and began rowing as fast as he could in the opposite direction. But, in addition to the current, their journey had apparently taken a downward course, which Ike struggled desperately to reverse. His arms battled furiously against the current and the sharp upward pitch of the river but, as mighty as he was, the river was far stronger. His arms soon felt near to breaking from the strain, and he hadn't even slowed down their out-of-control craft. The bucking of the boat had become continuous, and another lurch to the right sent Ike's tunic and undershirt into the foaming waters.

"Aw, dang it!" he opined, though he suspected the loss of those clothes would soon be the least of his worries.

"AAAAH! IKE!" Elincia suddenly shrieked and pointed up ahead. Ike then turned his attention to where she was pointing and his earlier supposition was soon confirmed with dire clarity. The pair was being dragged inexorably towards a waterfall.

"…Oh crap," Ike uttered, his eyes widening with horror…then narrowing as they fell upon his cape and a thought occurred to him. "Elincia, hold onto me. Loop your arms around my neck and your legs around my torso. And don't let go!"

"What are you trying to do?"

"I'm not really sure, but I hope it works!"

"What?"

Ike had no chance to answer; nor, in fact, did he _have _an answer. When he saw his cape, he suddenly recalled a trick he's seen his hawk allies perform once when they had to make long flights, where they would fly high into the air and then glide. They could use that technique to cover sizable distances without tiring themselves, but they would slowly lose altitude.

_Could something like that keep us from getting smashed into jelly? _he silently asked himself. _Only one way to find out!_

With that, Ike took hold of his cape as the boat was pulled over the waterfall and began its plunge towards invisible destruction below. Elincia held onto him by his neck and shoulders while he swung his cape upward into an arc over their heads. Ike let a cheer when the fabric billowed out, catching the air and turning their descent from a deadly plummet to a slow glide. Astonished that it had worked, the couple breathed a sigh of relief and hoped this glide would carry them safely to the calmer waters below instead of crashing into the surface or rocks scattered at the base of the falls. A draft of rain sodden wind propelled Ike and Elincia toward the riverbank below, but the rain still fell relentlessly. Although Ike's improvised parachute stayed aloft, both it and the couple dangling beneath grew heavy with the deluge. As a result, their descent regained a measure of its speed and pair came crashing down upon the bank, with Elincia curled in an awkward ball beneath Ike.

"Owww…" he groaned.

"At least you were on top!" Elincia retorted, her slip of the tongue making them both blush.

"Oh, Elincia! I'm so sorry!" he quickly apologized and sprang off of her.

"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault," Elincia replied as they slowly stood up. Both of them were soaked to the skin and badly frightened by their near miss, but were thankfully alive. Debris from their former craft, bobbing out from the base of the falls, offered a wordless reminder of just how narrow an escape it had been. However, Ike's missing clothing also floated free of the falls and washed upon the riverbank as well.

"Well, at least I've got my clothes back," he commented as he plucked them from the water. "Too bad I can't put them back on like this…"

"Oh dear… My tunic is soaked now too. This is going to feel so awkward when the others see us…but, at least we got out of that alive."

As Ike took stock of their situation, however, he realized they weren't much better off. From his vantage point, he could see no way for them to rejoin the mercenaries. And, given Ranulf's talk about the jungle rains causing floods, Ike had a sickening presentiment about their chances if they tried to search for another way back to their friends. When he shared his thoughts with Elincia, he could almost see the color drain out of her face.

"Oh no… What are we going to do?" she wondered, her tone betraying her fright.

"Don't worry…" Ike instructed, trying vainly to take his own advice. "The others must've noticed by now that we've been gone too long. Let's try to find some cover and wait for them to find us."

As Ike began searching for some protection from the rain, he could only hope Elincia found his reassurance more convincing than he had.

_Come on guys, don't let me down!_


	13. The Secret Sword: Part 6

**Falchion1984: Keep in mind that "Stomach Turner" is what the laguz call garlic. Those of you familiar with what garlic can do to a person's breath will know where that name comes from.**

Part 6: A Fight to the End

Meanwhile, Titania, Soren, Ranulf, and the rest of the group had set up a camp and started a fire to ward off the chill of the night and the rains. The work had passed quickly enough and, before long, Ike and Elincia's absence became all the more conspicuous. At first, the mercenaries weren't overly worried; Ike could take care of himself, and it was no secret that he preferred to be alone with Elincia on the rare occasions that they were together. However, as hours passed and the two still did not return, the group became concerned. Jerec grew more and more impatient while Mist and Ranulf worriedly eyed the tunnel through which the couple had gone. Oscar frowned as he realized how much time had passed since his commander and the young queen had left. And Titania couldn't help but form many disconcerting thoughts regarding what might have delayed the absent pair. Had that tunnel split off into additional branches and caused Ike and Elincia to get lost? Or had the bandits been hiding there after all and captured them? Or worse, had there been a cave-in and they were trapped somewhere deep in the tunnel? Titania's trance was broken, however, when Jerec, his patience exhausted, finally shattered, finally broke the long silence that had blanketed the camp.

"Argh! What's taking them so long?" he opined. "Something's not right here!"

"I agree," Soren added. "It's not like Ike to be gone for so long when he's by himself, let alone with the queen of all people."

"Yeah, I've a feeling something bad happened," Oscar replied.

"Or they just forgot about everything and started banging each other," Shinon piped up in annoyance.

"Shinon!" Titania snapped. "Don't you ever talk like that or you're getting a big pay cut!"

"Yeah! My brother and Elincia could be hurt for all we know!" Mist seconded. Shinon merely grumbled.

"And besides, they know better. But whatever happened, we have to find them," Titania continued.

"But how?" Ranulf wondered. "I'm just as worried as you guys, but we wouldn't last ten minutes outside in that weather. What's more, we don't know how many tunnels run through this mountain. Not to mention my nose is still next to useless."

"Ranulf has a point. No matter where they are, finding Ike and her majesty won't be easy," Oscar warned.

"Yeah, but there's only one thing we can do," Soren decided. "We have to split up and search for them. One group should go down the tunnel while the rest search outside."

"I can't believe I'm saying this yet again, but I agree," Titania seconded. "Alright, Soren, you and Ranulf and I will go back into the jungle, in case they wound up outside. Oscar, you take Boyd, Rolf, Mist, Mia, Gatrie and Shinon. Head down the tunnel and see if you can pick up their trail. Jerec, you and Rhys stay here and keep an eye on the wagon and horses. Neither of you are in any shape for this and, if they come back here, we'll need you to signal us to return. Jerec, if you bang your lance against the wagon, the echoes should reach the group in the tunnels, and the group in the jungle should be able to see the light from Rhys's staff."

"Alright. I still feel kind of tired anyway," Jerec agreed, though there was no hiding his frustration at having been excluded from the search.

"Understood," Oscar replied. "Let's go, everyone!"

With that, the group split up into their respective search parties and departed to seek the missing commander and queen. Titania led Soren and Ranulf back outside into the fierce storm while Oscar's party traversed the tunnel. Jerec was still aggravated that he could not help with the search, but he knew also that neither he nor Rhys could contribute much in their present states. Plus, it wasn't wise to leave the wagon and horses alone, or for the camp to be unattended if Ike and Elincia returned on their own.

As Oscar and his team traveled further and further into the tunnel, their torches alit, they carefully looked for any sign of their missing comrades. In the stifling dark, however, even Ranulf's eyes would be hard pressed to find any clues. Mist desperately hoped Ike and Elincia were okay and that neither were hurt…or worse. Ike had taken care of her ever since Greil died and was the only family she had left. Elincia had become like a big sister to her practically since they'd met despite her royal blood. Mist had long suspected that Ike and Elincia had fallen in love, and was overjoyed when she discovered that she was correct. Although Mist was not blind to how difficult it would be for the two of them, she always hoped nonetheless that they would marry, as Elincia would be the best sister-in-law she could ever have asked for. She sniffled as she vainly tried to hold back tears. Oscar then laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure they're alright, Mist. Your brother and Queen Elincia are both strong," he assured. "They've both gotten out of worse things than a dark tunnel."

"…Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Oscar," Mist replied with a half-formed smile.

"Whoa! Check it out!" Boyd piped up moments later, jerking to a halt. Oscar looked up to see that the group had arrived at the end of the tunnel. Before them was the river and the ancient beast laguz ruins Ike and Elincia had discovered earlier. Everyone, even Shinon, became wide-eyed. Who would guess that a village was hidden deep inside the mountain?

"Oh wow!" Mist cried, almost forgetting her grief. "This is so cool! Laguz must have lived here long ago!"

"Yeah," Oscar agreed. "It has to be hundreds of years old. This place might even date back to when the Gallian nation was first established by laguz slaves escaping from Begnion. Perhaps Ike and her majesty found this place too?"

"I think so! Check this out!" Rolf called out as he waded across the river to the pier. "There's an impression in the dust on this pier, and fresh scuff marks too. I think a boat used to be sitting here."

"You're right!" Oscar realized. "Ike and her majesty must have taken one down the river."

"Okay," Mist piped up, almost feeling relieved. "So, we can just wait for them to row back here?"

"I'm not so sure about that," Oscar said. "Ike and Elincia would know better than to stay gone this long. They might've run into trouble. Or, if the river slopes downward, they might not be able to come back this way."

"Well, what do we do now? There aren't any more tunnels, and the riverbanks stop here, so we can't follow them on foot," Boyd pointed out.

"There's only one thing we can do," Oscar replied and turned to the others. "Alright, Boyd and I will take a boat and see if we can find Ike and her majesty downriver. The rest of you return to Jerec and Rhys and let them know what happened."

"But Oscar, it could be dangerous!" Rolf protested. "And I don't want you two to get hurt!"

"We'll be fine, Rolf!" Boyd confidently assured, ruffling his little brother's hair. "We're strong enough! And besides, nothing's going to happen while I'm around!"

"Don't worry, Rolf. We'll be careful," Oscar added. "And we'll be back as soon as we can."

"Well, alright…"

With that, Oscar and Boyd waded across the river and pushed another boat into the water. Each snatched up an oar and boarded the craft while the rest of their party returned to the tunnel.

"Say, Oscar," Boyd spoke up once the others were out of earshot. "If Ike and Elincia can't row back to us, then how are _we_ going to get them and us back?"

"We do what the Greil Mercenaries do best," Oscar replied, his grin never wavering. "We improvise."

The two brothers rowed as quickly as possible and, as Oscar had anticipated, the river's course began sloping downward. The current also began to quicken, and the brothers could only hope that it didn't take them all the way outside. If this was the case, it would certainly explain why Ike and Elincia weren't able to return to the cave…and the brothers might end up sharing that misfortune.

"Wow, it's beautiful down here," Oscar remarked, more to ease the mood than anything else, as they reached the grotto with the gemstones and glowing fish.

"Makes you wish you brought Tanith along, doesn't it?" Boyd snickered, and Oscar responded by "accidentally" angling his oar in such a fashion that it flung water in Boyd's face.

However, the teasing came to an unpleasant end as the current continued to grow more turbulent. The boat lurched madly as it was tossed in the torrent, tearing the oars from Oscar and Boyd's hands and sending them helplessly careening towards a waterfall that poured out into the rainy jungle. The brothers clung to each other in fear as piercing screams left their mouths. Within seconds, the merciless current hurtled them over the brink.

"AAAAH! I WANT MY MOMMYYYY!" Boyd hollered deafeningly.

"What the—?" Ike opined, whirling in the direction of the sound as the two brothers plummeted into the water and sank. Their boat crashed into a nearby rock and was smashed to bits.

"Oh my! Ike, we have to help them!" Elincia replied frantically as she rushed towards the area where Oscar and Boyd had vanished beneath the foaming water.

"Right behind you!"

Ike then dove into the river while Elincia waited at the riverbank to help pull the brothers to safety. Ike, thankfully, had found that Boyd and Oscar had avoided sharing their boat's demise. Both bobbed unconscious beneath the surface of the water, and Ike grabbed them by their arms, hoping he could get them to shore before they drowned. He pumped his legs towards the surface as fast and hard as he could and then swam towards Elincia. With him pushing and her pulling, they managed to get both brothers onto the riverbank. Elincia then pumped Oscar's chest in hopes that she could revive him and told Ike to do likewise with Boyd. Although he had seen Elincia and Rhys perform this treatment before, Ike had never done it himself, so he was nervous as he began attempting to revive Boyd. If Boyd had broken a rib in his fall, Ike's pumping could drive the bone into a lung, or even his heart. Thankfully, the Greil Mercenaries' luck held true and, within moments, both brothers soon rose and began coughing up water.

"Huh…?" Boyd uttered.

"What happened…?" Oscar wondered as he shook himself awake.

"You two went over the same waterfall Ike and I had, that's what," Elincia replied.

"What? Ike! Queen Elincia!" Oscar gasped. "Thank goodness!"

"Yeah! We've been worried about you!" Boyd added.

"I figured. Where'd you two come from, though?" Ike inquired.

"Oh, when you and her majesty didn't come back, we split up to look for you," Oscar replied and explained Titania's earlier orders.

"Oh, I see…" Ike replied, nervous about what Titania was going to say to him when she found them.

"I hope we didn't interrupt anything good?" Boyd wondered slyly, arching an eyebrow as he noticed the couple was…underdressed. Elincia had had the worst of it, as her filmy white slip was now so sodden that it may as well have not been there at all.

"Eh-hehe…" Ike chuckled nervously. "It's a bit of a long story."

"Heh, yeah…" Elincia added, her cheeks turning pink as she strove to defend her modesty.

"Uh huh," Oscar commented, deciding that he didn't want to know. "Well, thanks for saving us. We'd better try to find Titania and the others though. They're still looking for you."

"How are we going to do that?" Boyd wondered. "We don't know how to get to them from here."

"True, but we can call out to them. Titania might not be able to hear us, but Ranulf is with her. Laguz have far better hearing than the beorc and, if we can signal him, he can guide us to safety."

"Oh, right."

With that, the four of them began calling out to their comrades. Thankfully, a reply came within only a few minutes. Titania's voice echoed through the trees, at first barely audible in the pouring rain, but it grew louder until she, Ranulf, and Soren finally emerged from a nearby trail.

"Ike! Queen Elincia!" Ranulf exclaimed. "We're so glad we've finally found you!"

"Yeah, what happened? And how did you and Boyd get here, Oscar?" Titania inquired. "I told you two to go with the others through the tunnel. And Ike, why are you shirtless and why is her majesty wearing…that?"

Ike missed neither the narrowing of Titania's gaze nor the hint of suspicion in her tone.

"I'm also curious," Soren added, pointedly eyeing Ike.

"It's a long story," Oscar replied.

"Y-Yeah," Ike admitted. The two then explained themselves, how Ike and Elincia had gotten…distracted on the river, as well as Oscar and Boyd following their trail and nearly drowning while doing so.

"I see," Titania commented. "Well let's get back to the others, they're probably worried."

"I'm really s-s-aaaaCHOO!" Ike tried to say before a thunderous sneeze. "Aw man…"

Elincia, Oscar, and Boyd, it seemed, were also afflicted, and soon began sneezing as well.

"Great, now you all are sick!" Titania groaned in annoyance. "We can't afford things like this. Once we've returned, you four are going inside the wagon to rest."

"Okay…" Ike obeyed through a stuffy nose. His other sick comrades also nodded.

After that, the group was only too eager to begin the trek back to the cave. Titania also wanted to get Ike, Elincia, and the two brothers into the wagon as well, as they'd been delayed badly enough without any of the others getting sick.

The group soon reentered the cave and, upon noticing the ill quartet, Rhys and Mist insisted that they bundle up and enter the wagon. Mist then brewed up bowls of hot broth for each of them, to which Rhys added some of the medicinal herbs he'd been permitted to take from the shamans' retreat. The hot liquid was a welcome relief after the freezing rain, though the herbs did give it a sharply bitter taste. Still, after a quaff of the tongue burning brew, Ike almost immediately felt better.

Thus, he tried, unsuccessfully, to talk Titania into reconsidering her earlier decision; after which, Ike was forcibly bundled in a heavy blanket and crammed into the wagon with his fellow infirm.

Once Ike was certain that the others were asleep, however, he laboriously turned over in his woolen cocoon and spied Elincia.

"Not exactly the date I had in mind," he admitted sheepishly.

Elincia, rosy cheeked from the chill or his presence, or both, smiled in reply.

"Well, it _was_ going well until the waterfall," she conceded. "And, I have to admit, it was incredible how you saved us."

"Thanks. Still, I.m sorry about how it ended…in more ways than one."

Elincia, instantly deducing his meaning, took on a stern expression and reached out a hand to caress his cheek.

"Don't be," she said firmly. "I was at fault too. I had just as much responsibility as you to stop it, maybe even more, and I didn't."

Ike's eyes drifted away from her lambent gaze and a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"That's what scares me," he admitted. "This could happen again, and I doubt we'd have a waterfall around to stop us."

Elincia's hand sought Ike's chin and tilted his gaze to meet her own. Her expression was compassionate, but held a firmness which commanded his attention.

"I know, but remember what you said to me earlier?" she inquired. "All we have to do is believe that, one day, all this hiding and sneaking around will be over. We just have to believe, and to be patient."

It was quite rare for Ike to smile, but Elincia had always found those rare occurrences to be worth the wait.

"You are way too kind," he opined, "but that's one of the reasons I love you."

"I love you too," she replied.

Exchanging affectionate smiles, but keeping a prudent distance between themselves, the couple soon drifted off to sleep.

Several days passed as the mercenaries waited for the storm to blow over. The rain seemed to worsen after Ike and the others had been rescued, and Ranulf's anecdote of the last monsoon season, during which, he claimed, it had not been unheard-of for it to rain for a week straight, was hardly encouraging. Ranulf also warned them that the rain would cause the humidity to rise, which explained why Ike had felt so dry in the middle of a river, and that everyone should drink _plenty _of water. With little else to do, the mercenaries decided to explore the ruins which Ike and Elincia had found. Ranulf, who'd been especially eager to do so, confirmed that it was an ancient laguz settlement which dated back to just before the founding of Gallia. Apparently, there were several such settlements which had been established by beast tribe slaves escaping from Begnion. Ranulf related that the escaped slaves had built their first villages in these caves, in large part, because they were highly defensible. If Begnion sent troops to recapture their former slaves, then those troops would have to traverse a vast jungle known for its insidious diseases and deadly rainfall, scale a narrow mountain trail while exposed to dangerous winds and ranged attacks the whole way up, break through a cave entrance that could be easily turned into a bottleneck so that an attacking force could be chopped away piecemeal and, after that, ford a river while fending off attacks from the far bank.

Suffice to say, Begnion had found the prospect to be less-than-appealing.

"When it became obvious that Begnion wasn't going to come up after them, the former slaves and their families came out of the caves. They built homes amidst the jungles and founded Gallia," Ranulf explained once the group had reconvened at the campfire. "We laguz weren't big on written records back then, so the locations of these settlements in the caves were eventually forgotten. Rediscovering one though, it's a find of the ages. Once I report this to his majesty, I'll be famous!"

"_You'll_ be famous?" Ike said incredulously. "It was me and Elincia who found it!"

"Don't worry, I'll mention you as co-discoverers. Maybe."

"Stupid cat. Well, might as well get some food. Being cheated makes me hungry."

"What doesn't?" a dozen voices asked rhetorically.

So saying, Ike fished out the ribs and roast chicken that Bonnie and Lillian had provided him. Luckily, they'd been treated with some sort of herbal preservative, so they were still edible despite the weather and the passing of days. Ike was also curious about how they'd taste, since the two elder shamans had mentioned that they'd been flavored with a spice he'd been fond of as a child. Ike hardly needed encouragement where food was concerned, and so he warmed the meat over the campfire.

Several minutes later, all that was left were a pile of small bones.

"Urp!" Ike belched. "Oh, excuse me. That was delicious. I wonder what that spice was?"

Ranulf, who for some unfathomable reason, was giving Ike a wide berth, replied. "We call it "Stomach Turner.""

Ike could only blink in perplexity. "I don't get it. Why is it called that? I mean, it made those ribs and chicken tasted great. I don't…"

Ike trailed off when he realized that the others around the fire were suddenly looking rather ill-at-ease. Several of the mercenaries were turning green and others were coughing uncontrollably or wiping at trickles of moisture leaking from their eyes.

"What the—? Guys, what's wrong?" Ike wondered, alarmed.

"Do you—" Mist gagged out amidst fits of coughing. "Do you have _any_ idea what that stuff is doing to your breath?"

"Oh, by the Goddess' left boob," Jerec swore, trying vainly to plug his nose. "You smell worse than that stinkweed crap."

"Ugh, and I thought the bilges on Nasir's ship stank!" Mia groused. "I can see where the name comes from."

"Drink this, _please_," Mist implored, shoving another bowl of herbal broth toward her brother.

"Sheesh, I can take a hint," Ike growled, gulping down the hot broth.

"That reminds me though," Titania spoke up, producing a small bundle from inside the wagon. "While you and Ranulf were hunting for clues at Gebal Castle, Rose Thorn said that she wanted you and Mist to have this."

She handed the bundle to Ike, who unwrapped it eagerly. When he saw what was revealed beneath, however, his jaw went slack.

It was his family. Or, rather, it was an old family portrait.

He saw his father, as a much younger man, seated on the right edge of the frame. A look on uncharacteristic humor was on his face as he shrugged at the artist. Very likely, that gesture of seeming helplessness had something to do with the auburn haired baby seated in his lap who was bawling uncontrollably.

"I still think the artist could have painted me a _little_ differently," Mist groused.

"Not much has changed since then, huh?" Boyd snickered, earning a jab from Mist's elbow.

Ike, barely hearing either of them, turned his gaze to his mother. He barely remembered her, still had no idea why not, and thus he felt his heart melt at the sight of her. Aside from Elincia, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her delicate nose, her high cheekbones, her gently smile and her azure hair and eyes, which he'd seen a hundred times in the mirror, filled him all at once with joy to see her and regret that he did not remember more.

Ike had been happily mulling over where to hang the portrait in the fort but, when he laid eyes on the figure in Elena's lap, his lips drew downward, along with his mood.

"What…is…that?" he wondered, briefly tongue-tied with stupefaction.

He had glanced up from the portrait and, to his further consternation, he saw that nearly all of the mercenaries were smirking fiendishly at him.

"That's you," Rolf snickered.

Ike turned back to the image of his younger self, disbelief and revulsion roiling in his gut.

He'd heard that toddlers had a certain pudginess to them, but the Ike in the portrait looked downright bloated; round and plump and, aside from the hair, not even vaguely resembling the lithe and sturdy boy Ike had been when he first began learning swordsmanship at the age of nine or ten. In fact, it was a wonder the azure haired piglet he beheld could even fit in Elena's lap.

"Even back then, keeping you fed was a chore," Oscar spoke up, though Ike could not tell if he was making an observation or a jibe. When Boyd spoke up, however, there was no guesswork about it.

"You put a whole new spin on the term "baby fat.""

"Watch it," Ike warned.

"Rose Thorn mentioned that," Titania started in cautiously, "after you were born, she adopted you as a grandson of sorts. And, that she could _never_ say no to you."

"Kinda showed, didn't it?" Gatrie guffawed.

"Don't make me come over there," Ike intoned, growing all the more frustrated.

"Rose Thorn mentioned she also got you toys; tons of them," Titania went on. "Back then, Greil and Elena believed that Ashnard wouldn't be able to reach them in Gallia, so they thought you and Mist wouldn't need to learn to fight. But, they were worried that Rose Thorn might end up spoiling you, so Greil decided that he'd start teaching you about woodcraft. Hiking, tracking, camping, climbing trees, identifying plants, that sort of thing."

"I shudder to think how the tree climbing went," Rhys commented, though he sounded more fretful than mocking.

"I'm guessing that the padding would have absorbed the impact of any rough landings," Soren opined.

"I'll remember that during our next sparring session," Ike warned.

"Even back then," Titania continued, after glaring at Rhys and Soren, "you were eager to learn. All you needed was a swift kick to get you started."

"Always helps to have a bigger target," Shinon remarked with grim humor.

"You _do_ realize that I pay your salary, right?" Ike retorted, his tone turning hard.

"Elena taught you how to read, and you loved books about animals," Titania went on. "All they had to do was mention that you might get to see one from your books to get you out the door."

"Though, they might've had to widen the door beforehand," Mia jibed.

"You guys are talking your way into a pay cut," Ike intoned menacingly.

The mercenaries seemed unimpressed by his threat, for they continued to snicker. Mist then got in the final shot by remarking "How Mom was able to pick you up without throwing out her back is beyond me."

Ike, who looked ready to explode, turned to face Elincia, Ranulf and Jerec, none of whom had joined in on the shenanigans, and mouthed "That does it."

After a few more days, and a few more remarks over Ike's husky appearance in his younger years, the storm finally blew over and the group continued their journey to Melior. After having spent so much time in the hot and humid jungles of Gallia, the Greil Mercenaries were absurdly relieved to finally be back inside Crimea's borders. The humid jungle, which had been unbearably stifling after the rain, had caused Ike, Elincia, Oscar, and Boyd to come down with fevers and they had rested in the wagon for much of the trip. Rhys and Mist, wary of anybody else getting sick, wore masks as they cared for the patients and finally granted Jerec's oft repeated wish to be allowed out of the wagon. By the time the group was close to Melior, all of the company's stricken, including Jerec, were feeling much better. As the capital finally came into view, Elincia volunteered to vouch for Ike if he had any trouble entering the royal library. After all, she _was_ truthfully on official business with him and the company. When the group finally reached the busy and bustling roads of Melior, Elincia took the lead and guided the mercenaries to the royal library. Among the group, she was the only one, besides Soren, who had been there before and, since Soren had been too busy with the company to visit the library lately, he could not fully recall the way there. Since Elincia had been to the library almost daily since taking the throne, she also knew a more discreet route. Ike was grateful for the gesture, as it allowed him to avoid being spotted by his overeager admirers and provided a precious few more minutes during which he and Elincia did not have to pretend that they were "just friends."

As the group traveled deeper into the city, Ike was pleased to see many beorc and laguz working together to repair the damage caused by the war, laboring to rebuild destroyed structures and to construct new buildings. The company's chosen route put Ike too far away to get a good a view as he would've liked, but nonetheless, the sight cheered him. He could not help but believe that he was watching history in the making, as this might be the beginning of the kind of relationship between the races that he and Elincia, as well as her parents, had long hoped to see. The library was, naturally, located near the castle and was a huge, magnificent building with ornate pillars, beautifully carved stone walls, and a front door decorated with murals and delicate, inlaid mosaics. The building itself was at least twice the size of the Greil Mercenaries' fort, and the members of the group who had not yet been to the library before gazed upon it with wide eyes. Elincia, as she had promised, ensured that the guards at the door granted Ike, Soren, Ranulf, and Titania entry while the others waited outside. Since the trial of clues had led them to double back once already, Ike had decided that Ranulf should come along in case the next clue might lead them back to Gallia. Though, after the harrowing journey they'd just had, none were enthused at the prospect. Ranulf was also hoping to encounter the bandits again before the search had ended, for he was eager to recover the supplies they'd stolen and to avenge the laguz that they'd killed.

Ike had been concerned that the guards might ask some awkward questions about what the mercenaries hoped to find in the library and why Elincia had been away from the capital for so long. Elincia, he suspected, was no less worried despite her attempts to appear confident. Luckily, and much to Ike's relief, Elincia hadn't needed to say much of anything; the guards opened the doors to the young queen and her guests without protest. Ike's short-lived worries were forgotten, however, when he gazed upon the enormous interior of the royal library. It was even more impressive than it appeared from the outside. The walls were finely painted with decorative designs while silvery chandeliers with bright candles hung from the elegantly domed ceiling. The shelves were made of smooth, fine wood while the floor was polished marble. Some of the beorc inside were rather surprised to see Ranulf there, but they made no overt objections, as many laguz were currently going to and from the city while participating in the reconstruction.

"Alright, Ike, I've been here several times and I know this place pretty well, so I'll find the book," Soren volunteered. "What was that code again?"

"Ah, good idea. And it's archive 12, book number 848," Ike replied.

"Oh, right. That's this way," Soren directed, leading the group towards the eastern wing of the library. The shelf he brought them to bore a plaque reading "Archive 12: History." Ike was quite curious about how a history book would lead him to Ettard, but wasn't terribly surprised at seeing the oddity, as Greil had already proven how cleverly he had designed this test.

"Oh shoot, it's up there on the top shelf," Soren pointed out. "Ike, you can reach it, right? I'm too short…"

"Yeah, that's no problem," Ike assured and grabbed the book Soren had indicated. When the five saw the cover and title, though, their eyes very nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Oh my goodness!" Elincia gasped.

"..N-No way…" Ike uttered. "Castle Crimea: History and Architecture?"

"Hold on, are we saying that the next clue is in the castle?" Ranulf blurted confusedly. "This is unreal. Ike, are you sure you read that code right?"

"I'm positive. Soren and Oscar saw it too."

"We did. I'm as befuddled as you are," Soren seconded. "I can't imagine how Greil could've hidden anything there."

"I agree, this just doesn't seem possible," Titania added. "The castle has always been the most heavily guarded place in the whole country; even the gardens and courtyard are well patrolled."

"Exactly," Soren replied. "Commander Greil was always a capable man, but even I don't see how he could've gotten into the castle; much less hidden anything there and expecting us to find it."

"I know what you mean," Ike replied. "I think there might be more to this clue then just the cover, though. And, if we do have to search the castle, I'd like for us to have some idea of where to look. Elincia, you live in the castle and you probably know it better than any of us. Why don't we look through these pages and see if we find anything that could help us."

"Ah, but of course," Elincia replied with a loving smile.

Ike smiled in turn. Without further preamble, the couple found a secluded table and began looking through the book's pages. Elincia suggested that the chapter dealing with the outer castle grounds would be the most likely place to find answers. It described the courtyard, outer gardens, the walls, gates, and the history of each. It even told how in the past, skilled thieves and spies from enemy nations and bandits had attempted to sneak in and obtain valuable information or steal valuables. At the mention of thieves and spies, Ike snapped his fingers and grinned broadly.

"Wait a second! I think I know how my father hid this clue!" he proclaimed. "He hired Volke to do it! It says here that the castle has had its share of break-ins by thieves and spies."

"… Why, Ike, that actually sounds feasible," Soren agreed. "I'm impressed that you figured that out. Volke is one of the best assassins and spies in Tellius. I doubt there's any castle he can't break into. Plus, he'd already been hired by Greil to kill him if he ever went berserk again. Lastly, since Volke wasn't going in to _steal_ anything, no one would realize he'd been there; not even after the fact."

"Exactly my point. It's only too bad we don't have a clue where _he_ is," Ike pointed out. "But, there might be another way. Elincia, like I said, you know the castle. Put yourself in Volke's shoes. If you wanted to hide something important somewhere in the castle or castle grounds, where would you put it?"

"Well, all I can give you is my best guess," Elincia admitted, and Ike nodded for her to continue. "If it were me, I would hide it in the storage room in the back of the outer garden. The only people who know about it are the castle residents, the soldiers, and any trusted allies. It's used to store emergency supplies, in case the capital is attacked. Volke could've easily learned of it since the nobles here have also hired him before."

"That's our best bet then. But how are we going to get in there?"

"You just leave that to me," Elincia assured with a wink.

With that, the small group left the library to rejoin their comrades and explain their discovery. Elincia said she would have no trouble explaining their situation to the guards at the main gate, though it obviously wasn't wise to mention Volke's supposed escapade to them. So they had to get the guards to let them in without revealing too much about the purpose of their visit. Elincia, however, suspected that the castle guards might not be as easy to persuade as those at the library. She quite disliked the idea of lying to her own soldiers but, since her adventure seemed to be drawing to a close, she did find the idea of having a last bit of fun by pulling a prank to distract the guards to be rather appealing. She and Ike decided that they would claim to have received a message from Bastian saying that he wanted to hire Ike and his mercenaries for a top secret mission and that he wanted to give Ike the details in private.

The two then immediately headed for the main gate and kindly greeted the guards there. Elincia explained Bastian's "summoning" as best as she could, taking care to make it seem genuine. The guards, thankfully, believed her and allowed Ike entry. Ike was impressed, as to his knowledge, Elincia had never outright lied to anyone before. She then motioned Ike to follow her once they were out of the sight of the guards and patrolling soldiers. Elincia explained that the storage room was the only place in the castle that was typically unguarded. This was so it didn't attract any unwanted attention from unfriendly eyes. She soon led Ike to a very well hidden cellar door at the back of the outer garden and unlocked it. After the two pulled the heavy door open, they went inside. Revealed was a narrow flight of stairs and, thankfully, light coming from the bottom provided enough illumination to descend safely. Ike closed the door behind them, so that no guard would find it open and investigate.

The couple traversed the staircase and quickly reached a rather large storage room stocked with all manner of supplies. Extra weapons, maps, medicines, ammo for bows and ballistae, tomes, staves, canteens, and more were neatly organized on shelves, inside barrels, and on racks. The only source of light inside, however, was a set of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Ike was surprised to find this chamber so well stocked. Only a few months had passed since the Mad King's War had ended, and Ashnard's men would have surely discovered this place and picked it clean. Elincia, as if she'd read her lover's thoughts, explained that during and after the war, the surviving soldiers and nobles worked as quickly as possible to restock the room in case further emergencies arose.

"I see. So, let's get started. I'll try not to make a mess," Ike replied. "We should also do our best to make sure that everything looks exactly the way we found it before we leave."

"Ah, yeah. We don't want anyone to come in and find that someone's been poking around," Elincia agreed. "To save us time, though, I think I might have an idea where to look in here. Most of the maps in that barrel over there are only spare copies of the ones we have in the castle and we only use them in case the originals get lost or stolen or damaged. And when we do use one of these, it's only temporarily, until a new official map is made. A few of those old maps, however, are outdated. Those were used to misdirect and confuse the enemy. That rarely happens though; nowadays, hardly anyone actually goes rummaging through them at all."

"I can believe it," Ike replied, eyeing the barrel overflowing with maps. "If you're thinking that maybe the next clue is in that barrel, then I agree. If it's on a piece of parchment, it would blend right in."

"Exactly," Elincia confirmed. "That way, there would be little chance of someone stumbling upon whatever Volke hid here."

"Of course, if he really _was_ the one who hid my father's clue, that is."

"Right."

The two then began examinine the many maps that crowded the wooden barrel, hoping to find whatever clue would lead them to Ettard. Several, however, were obviously not what they were looking for. There were maps of castles, sea routes, Melior, and even a couple that mapped hidden passageways within Crimea's various castles. None, however, held any indication as to the whereabouts of Ettard. That is, until Ike came across a scroll that was slightly smaller and more tattered than the others. He quickly unrolled it and discovered a map of the place that was most familiar to him.

"…I…I…I don't believe it!" he uttered, his eyes wide with shock. "This is a map of our fort!"

Elincia gasped and joined him to take a closer look.

"Why…so it is! This is quite a surprise! And look, there's an X marked at the back. Underneath it, it says "farewell, old friend." I bet that's referring to your sword!"

"Yeah. This is my father's handwriting alright; I know because he always pressed down on the page too hard when he was signing his name. It caused the ink to smear and made the l's look like they were dotted like i's. And, this area with the X was my father's room. This is just unbelievable. Ettard has been hidden under the fort this entire time! We've got to get back to the others immediately. Shinon is probably going to be pissed, but who cares?"

"Hee hee."

With that, the couple carefully set the other maps back the way they'd found them and rushed out of the room. Since the guards might now be wondering why Ike was late for his "appointment" with Bastian, they again took care to avoid the guards as they quickly made their way back to the gate, and rejoined their comrades. Though everyone was shocked, Titania was especially astonished to learn of Ettard's hidden location, as she'd maintained in Greil's former room since the war ended, even though he was dead. She couldn't believe his prized sword had been under her feet all that time.

"You mean we're going right back where we started?" Shinon complained, only to meet with silent glares in reply. "That's…actually clever. Gotta hand it to the commander there."

"…Wow. This just gets better and better," Ike mumbled.

"Yeah, Dad was really smart," Mist agreed. "I can't wait to see the sword, though!"

"Me neither!" Elincia added.

"Then let's get going!" Ike announced with a smile. The fort was at least a few hours away, but it was rather early in the day, so Ike knew they'd arrive before nightfall. Most of the group was quite excited to end their long search and to see Greil's unique blade at last. Even Ranulf was interested, despite his insistence that real fighters used their claws. The group was soon out of Melior and on the road to the fort. Ike, however, could not suppress a tinge of disappointment at knowing that Elincia would be departing once Ettard was uncovered. He was definitely going to miss her, and he wished they could have a little more time together. But Ike knew the young queen had a country to rule and he had to respect that, just as surely as he respected her for her devotion to her people. And besides, she surely eager to change out of those dirty clothes.

As time passed and the group drew nearer and nearer to the fort, Ike felt his breath growing short and his heart pounding harder and harder. He smiled when the company's home finally came into view. Ike was relieved to see that the fort had remained undisturbed during their absence and, once more, anticipation burned in him at the realization that he was about to claim Ettard before it could fall into the hands of the bandits, whom were likely still searching for the group. Now the young mercenary could take the blade and use it to defeat them, should they ever cross paths again. When they arrived at the gate, everyone piled inside as quickly as possible, relieved that their adventure was just about over. Before they did anything else, the mercenaries retreated to their rooms to drop off their rucksacks and get off their tired feet for awhile.

Ike, however, was too excited to rest for long. After a few minutes, he headed for his father's room, and was soon followed by Elincia, Ranulf, Soren, Titania, and Oscar. After barging through the door, Ike produced the map he and Elincia had obtained from the castle storage room once more.

"Okay, now let's see exactly where this X is pointing us to…" he contemplated.

Soren, Elincia, and Titania hovered over him to take a peek as well.

"Wow, I don't believe this! Ike, it's the desk! Under the desk!" Titania gasped.

"Whoa, seriously?" Ike replied.

"She's right. This is remarkable," Soren commented, nearly shaking his head.

"Yeah, the sword's practically been in the same place as Commander Greil's first message!" Titania realized. "He was truly incredible."

"He certainly was," Oscar agreed. "My brothers and I are most fortunate that we met him."

"Aw come on! You guys are making me wish I'd had more time to get to know him!" Ranulf complained jokingly.

"I probably knew him least of all of us, but I always suspected he was a great man myself," Ike added with a smile. "Well, let's dig up this thing!"

With that, Ike pulled the desk over to the opposite side of the room. At first glance, all that appeared to be beneath were more floorboards. Suspecting there was more than met the eye, Ike drew his blade and plunged it into one of the tiny gaps between the floor boards and used it to pry one up. Unsurprisingly, it came free easily, revealing that the floor boards beneath the desk were purposely loose. Ike removed three floor boards and revealed below was yet another trap door. However, this one was much smaller than the huge one from Gebal Castle, and he opened it with little more than a flick of the wrist. The tiny chamber revealed behind it was as deep as a small well, and sitting at the bottom was a long, battered brown trunk wrapped in tattered leather. It was too far down for Ike to reach, however.

"Oscar, hold onto my feet while I go in there," Ike ordered. "I'll tell you all when to pull me up."

"You got it," Oscar replied with a smile and took Ike by his ankles. Ike then maneuvered slowly into the deep chamber, letting Oscar lower him down. Even the slightest movement caused clouds of dust to billow into Ike's face, and he could only hope that there was nothing more unpleasant crawling around. When his hands finally clasped the cool leather of the trunk's handle, he hollered for his comrades to pull him up. As Oscar pulled Ike free of the passage and he laid eyes on the trunk as it was set on the floor, the lance paladin whistled softly. Only then did Ike notice the size of the trunk; it was nearly as big as he himself was!

"Wow, that really must be a huge sword," he commented.

"I'll say!" Titania agreed.

"Yeah! It's probably powerful too!" Elincia guessed. "Well, Ike, open it up!"

"I will, just hang on…" Ike replied as he turned the trunk around and looked for the latch that kept it shut. He struggled with the latch and the lid but, unfortunately, he couldn't budge it.

"Crap, it's locked!" he cursed. "Damn!"

"Well that's just terrific!" Soren blurted in annoyance.

The others also began voicing their disappointment and then began to wonder in silence if they would meet with failure so near the end of their quest. Ike angrily eyed the lock's keyhole and, when he noted its peculiar shape, curiosity crowded out his anger. It was not an ordinary keyhole; though, Ike supposed he should've expected that. What's more, he realized there was something familiar about its distinctive shape.

"Wait a minute," he spoke up, breaking the silence. As the others looked on, Ike took the sword pendant he'd found in Gebal Castle out from underneath his tunic. He examined it, then the keyhole, then the pendant again. His eyes widened with dawning comprehension.

"…Could it really be that simple?" he uttered to himself, though the others heard him clearly. Ike slid the pendant into the keyhole and turned it. He was unsurprised to see the latch of the trunk spring open. Elincia's jaw dropped in amazement.

"Ike, that was brilliant!" Titania complimented.

"I must say, even I would've never thought of that," Soren admitted.

"Aw shucks," Ike replied and then, with an expectant breath, opened the lid of the trunk. Inside was a large, two-handed sword of magnificent craftsmanship sitting on a long, red pillow. Though Ike hadn't brought the shield with Ettard's image for comparison, he had no doubt that it was the very sword that he had worked so hard to find. And now, he finally had it. It was Ettard, with its shining triangular blade and large, brown hilt. Its blade was colored a dark, pale red with an edge that glinted silver and was inscribed down the center with a design of intricate runes. A small square section just below the hilt shone like gold. Even without checking, Ike knew that it looked almost exactly like its image from the shield that Jerec had given Ike. Belatedly, Ike realized, to his astonishment, that the blade was inexplicably in near perfect condition.

"Wow… Amazing," Ike commented. "Not a speck of rust. And it's still sharp too!"

"It certainly is!" Elincia agreed, kneeling and hugging the triumphant mercenary commander. The others could not deny Ike's assessment either. The blade was magnificent and definitely one of a kind. Jerec soon entered, only to halt in his tracks when he saw what had occurred.

"Whoa," he spoke up. "Ike… You found it."

"I sure did," Ike replied with a wink. "And, I owe you my thanks. If you hadn't given me that shield, I never would've known about Ettard in the first place."

Before Jerec could reply, however, Ranulf's eyes bulged.

"Oh no…" he uttered.

"What's wrong?" Ike wondered.

"…The bandits! They're here!"

At hearing this, Ike's anxiety suddenly vanished; in fact, he almost looked happy at this news.

"Well, they want this sword, I'll give it to them," he said, noting with humor the looks of shock that greeted his words.

With a grim smile, he added, "Right between the eyes. Everyone, outside NOW!"

Ike then grabbed the large sheath from the wagon, slid Ettard inside, and strapped it to his back. The mercenaries were quite eager to follow him to the front gate of the fort afterward. Before he could take more than a few steps outside, however, Ike found himself face to face with the boss of the bandits, whose underlings had besieged the fort.

"Hehe… Didja miss us?" he cackled.

"Actually, we thought you gave up," Ike replied jokingly. "Or, were lying dead in a mud puddle somewhere."

"…What? Ye'll regret that, ye wise-arsed lout!"

"Not before I shove my lance up your ugly ass, you conniving son of a dastard!" Jerec shot back as he rushed to Ike's side, armed with a new silver lance he'd gotten from Oscar.

"What the—? It's you!" the bandit boss gasped when he recognized Jerec. "I thought we left ye bleedin' back 'n da jungle!"

"Well you thought horribly wrong!" Jerec replied, a devious smile forming on his face. "I'm here because a certain blue-haired mercenary found me and saved my life! I always pay back my friends, especially when it involves busting the skulls of scum like you!"

Ike was struck by Jerec's words. _Did he…just call me a friend?_ he wondered to himself as Jerec glimpsed at him from the corner of his eye and smiled. Ike couldn't help but return the gesture. _Jerec really does respect me now. I can't believe he's the same man who was a total jerk when we first met._

"Argh! Now ye've really made me mad!" the bandit boss retorted, and then blanched when he noticed Ettard at Ike's back. "…So, ya managed teh find the blade! Well then, it'll only be more excitin' fer us teh pluck it off yer dead body!"

"Ha, you wish!" Ike replied and commanded his men to attack.

The bandit boss did the same and soon the two sides clashed in once final, ultimate confrontation. Jerec fought almost as fiercely as Ike himself did and, if the mercenaries hadn't known better, they never would have guess that he was still recovering from the Brain Fever as well as the injuries he'd sustained in Gallia. In fact, he seemed even more skilled than he had been the last time Ike had seen him fight. Before, Ike could best him with little effort. Now, he could see that, if he and Jerec were to fight again, the former Daein captain would prove a worthy opponent. He was plunging his lance into bandits left and right and knocking others clean off their feet with his shield. Oscar and Titania had quickly mounted their horses and joined the battle, breaking out of the fray and then whirling about to hit the enemy from the flank. Rhys and Mist, the latter with her sword at the ready, stood at the ready with their staves in case anyone was wounded. Elincia, despite Ike having advised her to stay close to him and Jerec, was also proving to be a capable ally, despite lacking her armor and Pegasus. Ranulf had transformed into his sleek cat form and, as usual, toyed with his opponents before clawing them to ribbons.

With every bandit engaged with mercenaries, Ike and the bandit leader were left to face each other one-on-one. Having no objections whatsoever, Ike slowly drew Ettard for the first time. It was heavy, as he'd expected; definitely heavier than the swords he was used to. But thanks to his hard-won strength, he had no trouble wielding it. Ike was concerned, however, that one of the bandits might strike him from behind while his attention was focused on their leader. As though sensing Ike's thoughts, however, Jerec came up and swung around him, the two unlikely friends now fighting back-to-back. Ike spied Jerec out of the corner of his eye and his former rival smiled.

"Don't worry. I've got your back," he assured. "It's the least I could do to repay you, after all."

"Heh. Thanks, Jerec," Ike replied and returned his attention to the bandit leader. "You're going down!"

With that, Ike drew up Ettard and leaped into the air, his blade drawn back over his head for a two-handed, downward slash. The bandit leader, however, deflected the blow with a deft parry from his steel poleax.

"Har har, ye'll hafta do better than that," he sniveled.

Ike merely growled as he was thrown off his balance and sent hurdling to the ground.

"Ike! Be careful!" Elincia hollered fearfully. Suddenly, one of the bandits, taking advantage of her distraction, came up from behind her.

"Shut up, ya whiny lass!" he ordered as he grabbed her arms and clapped a hand over her mouth. However, Ike was not the only one to have grown stronger during the war. Jerec and Ike were about to rush to Elincia's aid when she freed herself by swinging her foot behind her and landing it right in her captor's groin. He cried out in severe pain as he held his crotch, and Elincia broke free of his slackening grip as he slowly fell to the ground. Elincia finished her assault by driving her blade into his chest.

"Hmph," she said with a smug grin.

"Whoa. Go Elincia," Ike cheered, a smile dawning his face.

"Yeah. I'd hate to get her mad now," Jerec added.

The bandit leader, clearly displeased at the course the battle had taken, charged towards Ike. Ike quickly scrambled to his feet and evaded the attack. He then retaliated by swinging Ettard again, angling for his foe's neck. But, his killing blow was again intercepted by his foe's poleax. As the blades ground against one another, the bandit leader spoke up.

"Aye, that blade be purtier than I thought. I bees lookin' fer it fer years 'n years. I 'eard it spoke of way back; back when yer father be Sir Gawain. Tell me, how much ye know 'bout him back then?"

Ike did, indeed, wonder…and feared what he might find if he sought the answer to that question. However, he refused to be distracted. Instead, he angled his blade to force the pole axe down and away, leaving his enemy open to a quick thrust. The bandit leader, however, was more agile than Ike had expected, and easily avoided this attack with a backward roll.

"Yer father had lotsa secrets, ya know," the bandit sneered as he regained his feet. "Stop me if ye 'eard this one: yer mother died by yer father's hands. He ran dat blade right through 'er belly as she snatched that medallion thing out of his hand. Kinda ironic, ye be wanting dis blade so bad when it killed yer mother."

"Here's another irony for you," Ike glowered as he lunged in and swept his blade at his foe's torso. "You've been looking for this blade for years; and now, I'm going to kill you with it."

"Or _I_ kills _ye_ wit it," the bandit retorted. "Dat day yer mother was killed? I remembers it well, I do."

A thrust from Ike had gone awry at these words, and the bandit took advantage of Ike's lapse to seize the initiative. The blade of the pole axe swept at Ike's legs and, as Ike overleapt the attack, he found himself craning his head back to avoid getting brained by the pole axe's shaft.

"That day, I was standin' right there behind a building, unseen," the bandit elaborated. "I was wit da hunters chasin' yer father, hopin' ta get his medallion. I went too, hopin' ta get the sword. Even then, I bees seekin' it; but I almost gots in over me head. Dem hunters got hacked ta pieces 'n I be da only one left. Yer mother grabs the medallion and, from me hidey hole, I watched him impale her."

At this, Ike's blood boiled and his anger transformed into overpowering rage.

"And, you did nothing?" he demanded. "If you were sent to get the medallion, then you knew you could've stopped him by snatching it away!"

"I coulda," the bandit remarked offhandedly, before sneering once more, "but I decided…what fun would dat be? I kinda 'oped yer father would run himself through once he sees what he done, but he walks away wit the sword, and I walks after 'im. I left teh woman teh her fate."

The bandit swung his weapon at Ike's chest, but Ettard was there to meet it. Ike bore down on his foe's defenses until the bandit's elbows buckled. Ike himself glared at his enemy with unblinking, livid eyes which blazed with rage.

"…You…YOU MURDERER!" he exploded. "IT WAS YOUR FAULT! _YOU_ KILLED HER!"

"Son of a bitch," Jerec angrily murmured to himself. "He might as well have stabbed her himself!"

"I…can't believe it…" Mist uttered, tears building up in her eyes. Overwhelmed with horror, she ran back into the fort, wailing in anguish.

Ike said nothing, the only sound escaping his breath a heavy, ominous breathing. His face was now red with anger; a furious, glowing red much like the fires in which Ettard itself had been forged. The blade came up and then thundered down, splitting the bandit's pole axe in two. Ike, a tireless machine of retribution, drove his boot heel into the chest of the now blanching bandit leader with all his might. If his foe was not frightened before of the storm he'd unwittingly conjured, he surely was as he was sent crashing to the ground, several ribs breaking with a loud, sickening report. Ike then lunged, seized his foe by his throat, and clamped down upon it. Ike's opponent, like so many others before him, had sorely underestimated the mercenary commander. And now, like all of those others, he was would pay the price. The bandit leader flailed in Ike's grip, futilely punching and clawing at the mercenary commander as he slowly suffocated. In response, Ike rained down blow after thunderous blow with his massive fist, beating his foe senseless and smashing his face into a bloody pulp. The bandit leader, apparently seeing his demise reflected in the azure flames that were Ike's eyes, suddenly began choking out pleas for mercy…much like his own victims had done in the past before he had cut short their lives.

And, his begging earned him a share of mercy equal to that which he himself had granted.

That being none.

_Mom, Dad, this is for both of you! _Ike then finished his opponent off by sweeping Ettard's blade slice clean through his neck; the bandit's head bouncing away as it hit the ground. Upon seeing their leader's gruesome end, the remaining bandits broke off from the battle and fled in blind panic.

And thus, it was over. As Ike's gaze fell upon Ettard once more, it was as though the blade shone a little brighter than it had before. Almost as if some old, dark stain upon it had been expunged. Which, Ike realized, was exactly what happened. Perhaps, in whatever realm within which the deceased rested, the soul of Greil would now be healed of its long suffered sorrow. Perhaps he now knew that it was not his foolishness that cost his wife's life, but an act of callousness and greed committed by a man whose overdue punishment had finally been carried out. Ike desperately hoped that this was so, and he wished too that his father could have been here to learn this healing truth, as he rose to his feet. His eyes suddenly blurred and, to his surprise, he discovered that tears had begun to trickle from his eyes. He was both surprised and disheartened, as he had never been able to cry before; probably not since he was a child, nor even when his father had been slain. Even so, he could not bring himself to wipe them away.

"Ike…" Elincia spoke up, breaking the silence and approaching her lover. "I…I'm so sorry…"

"I know… This…this is just so hard to…" Ike stammered, sniffling. If the bandit's words had wounded him this deeply, he shuddered to imagine how Mist was faring now.

"I understand," Jerec stepped in. "But that bandit got what was coming to him. You made him pay, Ike; and he'll never be able to misuse Ettard. That's what counts."

"Jerec's right, Ike," Elincia agreed. "You got justice for both your parents. And I know that, if they were still here, they'd be proud of you. Finding Ettard _was_ Greil's test, after all."

"…Yeah," Ike replied as he beheld the now blood-soaked Ettard once more. "And I did avenge them with this blade. My father's blade. The fact that it killed my mother doesn't matter anymore. It took the life of the one truly responsible for that tragedy."

"That's right," Elincia assured, smiling with pride and admiration. "Now let's all go inside, get cleaned up, and have a nice dinner to celebrate your latest achievements."

"But you have to get back to the castle."

"Oh, I'll head back tomorrow."

"Heh… That's fine with me."

For the first time in hours, a genuine smile formed on Ike's face. The young commander then turned to Jerec.

"Hey, Jerec, why don't you join us too?" Ike offered.

"For dinner? Sure. Why not?" Jerec replied with a friendly shrug. "I'll be leaving afterwards though."

"So soon? But you should probably rest more. I think you should at least spend the night."

"Yeah, Jerec, Ike's right," Elincia seconded. "You're still recovering."

"I know, but I'll be fine," Jerec assured. "I _did_ just skewer a few bandits, didn't I? And besides, Rhys already gave me some medicine and food for the road."

"Ah, alright then. If you insist. You're always welcome here, though. In fact, I wouldn't even have a problem letting you join the company."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather work on my own for now. And, I think we both know that having a Daein in your company would be bad for business. If my origins were to be discovered, then we'd all have trouble."

"Yeah, true. Well, let's get inside now. I'm starving!"

Elincia merely giggled as the group headed back into the mercenary fort. After changing out of their soiled clothes, everyone sat down to enjoy a lavish dinner prepared by Oscar and Mist. Even Shinon didn't mind joining this time, surprisingly enough, had no objections to joining them this time. The bowman was probably in attendance out of respect for Greil's intellect, though, rather than Ike's latest accomplishments. Even so, everyone enjoyed their meal and conversed about how interesting, fun, or fascinating the adventure was. Mist had even recovered from her earlier shock. And Shinon began complimenting Jerec on his skills with the lance. Ike could swear that the sniper was having one of those rare moments where he had gained respect for someone. After he was finished eating, however, Jerec prepared to depart. Ike followed him outside before finishing his own food, and stopped him at the gate.

"Jerec, hold on," Ike spoke up. "Take this with you."

Jerec turned around to see Ike holding out a large pouch. He took it from the mercenary commander's hand and opened it to find it brimming with hundreds of gold pieces.

"Might come in handy on the road," Ike pointed out, then lowered his voice to a whisper. "As for where it came from, let's just say that I don't make idle threats."

"Oh! Haha, you sneaky bastard. Thanks," Jerec chuckled, already guessing Ike's meaning.

"No problem. But, if you don't mind my asking, where are you going?"

A rakish smile crossed Jerec's face as he slung his pack of supplies over his shoulder and secured the pouch of gold to his belt.

"The same place we're all going: forward," he answered cryptically. "As for where _that_ is, I'll find out when I get there."

With that, Jerec turned around and waved a hand in the air. Ike returned the gesture and watched as the lancer passed through the gates and took to the road beyond. Before vanishing into the distance, however, Ike could swear he saw Jerec turn his head and wink. This could only mean one thing. Despite his ambiguous words regarding his destination, Jerec intended to see Ike again someday. And, naturally, that was a day Ike looked forward to.

"Good luck," he said, confident that Jerec heard despite hearing no reply.

Ike then reentered the fort to see that the mercenaries, who'd apparently heard the conversation, were now eyeing him curiously.

"Say, boss," Mia spoke up, a hint of nervousness in her tone. "That money you gave Jerec, where did it come from?"

Ike chuckled and a grin broke out on his face as he replied.

"Remember that pay cut you guys talked yourselves into?"


	14. An Ultimate Challenge: Part 1

An Ultimate Challenge

Part 1: The Flu

"Sigh…"

The rosy lips of Queen Elincia Ridell Crimea parted in a melancholy fashion as she lounged upon the balcony of her bedchambers. Her torso draped carelessly over the balcony rails as she gazed longingly at the horizon, her unbound hair falling limply over the stone and grit mingling with her emerald tresses, she did not look much the part of a regal queen. If anything, she would give any onlooker the impression of a dismal bird in a gilded cage.

_How appropriate,_ she mused despondently.

Eyes the hue of faded parchment roved over the gardens of Castle Crimea, the afternoon breeze rustling her orange gown and tossing her disheveled hair. The gardens were a marvel to behold, rife with orderly clusters of flowers and trees of seemingly all descriptions, while an elegant fountain gurgled at the heart of a veritable maze of rose hedges. Yet, the sight was lost upon the queen, as she allowed her mind to wander far from the confines of the stone walls. Though, in truth, there was only one thing on her mind…or rather, one man. That man was Ike; the commander of the Greil Mercenaries, which were considered to be Crimea's top fighting force. And, this reputation was well earned, for that eclectic band had done valiant service to Crimea during the Mad King's War. But, it was the leader of the mercenaries who commanded her attentions...to put it mildly. He was the love of her life, the man who had stolen her heart during their journeys together around the continent of Tellius. Over the course of a year, through the long marches, the innumerable battles, and the delicate labors of knitting together an alliance between the ever-antagonistic races of the beorc and the laguz, Ike and his unlikely band of warriors had vanquished King Ashnard of Daein and liberated their home of Crimea. Though Ike's role in leading the war effort had ultimately made him one of the most famous and well respected people in all of Tellius, not to mention a prime target for the affections of countless young women, Elincia loved him for much more than his fame and prowess as a warrior. Not only was he very handsome, unstintingly kind, stalwartly loyal, unfailingly truthful, and fiercely passionate, in more ways than one, but Ike had also shown Elincia a world which she thought she would never know, sequestered as she had been at the Royal Villa for so many years. Though her tiny, hidden world had been snatched away, Ike had shown her another world that was full of discovery, adventure, and life. He had shown her that their dreams would come true; that the ancient antipathy between the beorc and laguz was not insurmountable, and that Crimea would be free again. He was her general, who had fought so hard to free their country. He had even said that he would lay down his life to fulfill her dreams and that it meant much more to him than just being under her employment.

Though there were many others who would do no less than Ike had promised, such as Geoffrey, the commander of Crimea's Royal Knights, or Lucia, his older sister and Elincia's closest friend, or practically anyone else who fought in the war, Ike was the only one that Elincia knew for sure that shared her passions, her dreams, and the love she had for Crimea. No, no one could possibly care for their country the way she and he did, not even their closest friends. Even when the two of them had been seeking allies halfway across the continent, Crimea was never far from their thoughts. And, Elincia knew in her heart that this would not have been altered even if the lost continents and the whole of the endless sea stood between them and their homeland.

In truth, Ike had charmed Elincia practically since the moment she had first laid eyes on him; and this affection had only grown in the time they'd spent together. Even better was that Ike returned Elincia's love. He might not have known it at first, but the realization came nonetheless, and ever since, the two shared many romantic moments together. Alas, those moments had always seemed far too brief and much too far between, due to Elincia's duties as a queen and Ike's own responsibilities to his mercenaries and his clients. But, the precious time they did have was always amazing.

Even so, the relationship was not without its issues. Ike was a man who did not respect most nobles, in particular, those who held disdain for the laguz race, and he detested their unbridled prejudices and supreme arrogance. Obviously, he had been willing to take on a noble title and become a general for Elincia, but he did so only with the utmost reluctance, and chose to renounce his title once the Mad King's War had ended. It was inevitable that had he stayed a lord, he would not have gotten along well with the other Crimean nobles. Though they expressed their admiration for Ike while in public, Elincia suspected that, privately, their sentiments towards the former general were vastly different.

Despite the Greil Mercenaries often remaining close to Crimea's capital of Melior to aid in the country's reconstruction, it was still maddeningly difficult for Ike and Elincia to maintain their relationship. Only a select few even knew of their affair at all, for fear that it would be discovered by the wrong people. Loved though Ike was, there were nonetheless people who would adamantly disapprove of their relationship. People like the Crimean nobles, for instance.

Though Elincia could rightfully choose to marry whomever she pleased, and she and Ike would certainly wed regardless of anyone's opinions about them, such a move would incur severe ramifications. It would likely be necessary, if only for political reasons, to reinstate Ike as a lord; a prospect she knew Ike would detest. What's more, she knew that if they were to marry at this tenuous juncture, conflict would surely occur between them and the nobles. Reinstating Ike might placate some, or even many of them, but not all. And, such was a gamble that Crimea could not afford in its post-war state. Due to this, Ike and Elincia endeavored to be careful whenever they spent time together. They would explore and caress each other all they pleased, but if they happened to go too far and cross a certain boundary, they knew that it would surely end in tears. Elincia would be with child, and since she had not married, that would generate some decidedly harsh questions regarding the identity of the father. Such a turn of events would lead to two possible outcomes, likely both. The first would be that the people would assume that Geoffrey was the father, and that the two had been sharing a secret relationship. Though the notion was far from palatable, the story would seem believable, since Geoffrey and Elincia had known each other since they were children and shared a close bond. This would not only cause Ike grief, however, but likely Geoffrey as well, since he supported Ike and Elincia's love and would be obliged to lie to the child all of his or her life. The second possibility would be that if the child bore a close enough resemblance to Ike when he or she was born, people would surely guess that he was actually the father. Thus, Elincia's opponents would paint her as a harlot, use the affair as political ammunition against her and her policies, and then all hell would break loose.

Despite all of this, neither Ike nor Elincia ever stopped believing that there would eventually be a day where they could love one another openly; that there would be a day when the need for secrecy would and they could freely marry and have children together. These thoughts, and thoughts of each other, were what kept the couple going. And, at times, they were all that kept Elincia's heavy heart from crumbling in her chest. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when the balcony door behind her suddenly opened and a familiar feminine voice spoke up.

"Your majesty, there you are," Lucia greeted.

"Ah, Lucia," Elincia replied. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm wondering why you're just staring into space, for one thing," Lucia chuckled.

"Oh…ah, um… I was just doing some thinking, that's all."

"About Ike, I assume?"

"Well… Yeah, I'll admit it. After all, I don't get to see him very often, and we _did_ just recently hire the Greil Mercenaries for an important mission. Probably the wisest decision I've made in a while."

"Heh, that's true. And speaking of which, I also have news that should please you. We just received word that Ike and his men were successful. The large shipment of lumber and gold that was en-route from Gallia made it to Melior safely. Ike's report described a pirate attack along the southwestern coast, but it was nothing that the mercenaries and the shipment's escort of beast laguz couldn't handle."

"Ah, that's excellent. That shipment was badly needed, especially after that accident with the last delivery of lumber. And I figured that pirates or bandits would target such valuable cargo."

"Or you just wanted an excuse to hire Ike," Lucia added with a grin.

"Oh, stop it, I did not," Elincia replied, her cheeks going pink. "Though I will admit that I was glad to have a reason to hire him and the mercenaries. There were hundreds of thousands of gold pieces in those wagons. What pirates and bandits _wouldn't_ go after them?"

"Well, you have a point there. Still, let's hope we don't have to request such a large load again. Gallia is already giving us a lot of help as it is, and I fear it may take quite some time for us to properly compensate them. Plus, we don't need any more lumber wagons catching fire because of some inept apprentice mage."

"Yeah, I can agree with that."

Elincia then recalled an incident that had occurred a few months before near the southern edge of Melior. A shipment of lumber had been arriving in the city, just as a fire sage was instructing his apprentice in casting some fairly advanced fire magic spells. Unfortunately, the apprentice hadn't been able to control one of these spells, and it ended up striking the wagons as they were passing by, engulfing them all in flames. The cargo of lumber had been a complete loss, though the gold had managed to survive. A few of the flames had also spread to some nearby buildings. Fortunately, they had been empty at the time, and only some merchandise in a closed shop was lost. Pure luck alone was what had kept anyone from getting badly burned, or worse. The mortified apprentice was extremely sorry and promised to be more careful from then on. His instructor cracking a cane over his head suggested that the mage-in-training would be held to that promise.

"Indeed. Next time, the burning buildings might not be empty," Lucia agreed, but her tone had turned softly grace. "Also, your majesty, there is one other thing I'd like to speak to you about."

"And what's that?" Elincia wondered, a slight hint of nervousness in her tone.

"During Ike's report of his mercenaries' success, Titania pulled me aside and requested to speak to me privately."

"Oh? Whatever for?"

"She voiced concerns about how you and Ike are…handling your relationship. She thinks you two aren't being careful enough and said that you just about crossed the line a couple times."

Elincia's blush deepened until the redness spread to the roots of her hair.

"Ohhh," she murmured, then pasting on what she hoped was a convincing imitation of a humorous smile. "That Titania. She's just worrying too much like she always does. Lucia, I assure you, Ike and I aren't being so reckless. We just want to enjoy each other's company. We don't get as much time together as other couples do, you know."

Elincia tried to end her statement with a chuckle, but it came out sounding very shaky. And, Lucia did not seem reassured.

"I realize this, but after what Titania told me, I'm getting worried too. You know what would happen if Ike, well, got you pregnant right now. It would, without a shadow of a doubt, be the worst thing that could happen to you two. And, more than that, the child and Geoffrey would surely suffer as well. The child wouldn't be able to live with both of its parents, and Geoffrey would, at the very least, become the assumed father until it's born. He would be the only likely candidate around here. I don't relish the idea of your child having to, literally, live a lie; and, I cringe at the idea of my brother having to participate in such a thing."

"Yes, Lucia, I know. Ike is aware of this too."

"Your highness, with all due respect, I'm afraid I simply can't accept that claim at face value."

"I assure you, Ike and I have everything under control."

"If that's true, then how did Titania walk in on the two of you rolling in the sheets? Or, for that matter, how "under control" were things when you and Ike were fished out of a jungle lake, in the middle of a monsoon, with you half-naked?"

"I was _not_ half-naked! …My slip was soaked through."

"That is hardly encouraging. Your majesty…Elincia, I'm afraid I must speak my mind. You've found someone you love, and I'm glad of that, but the two of you have already had several near-misses, and I'm worried that you won't be so lucky next time. And, the consequences of your relationship with Ike getting out could be dire. I had hoped to avoid saying this, but I was thinking that maybe you two should end the affair. At least temporarily; just to be on the safe side."

In an instant, Elincia's embarrassment at Lucia's enumerating her "near-misses" was gone. And, in its place, was an iron determination reflected in the glare of a pair of sunbeam daggers.

"…Lucia, no," she intoned, somewhat harshly. "I refuse to do that. Ike and I have accepted that our relationship will be…complicated, but we both want far more than a few visits and a kiss here and there. We shouldn't have to be apart all the time because certain stuffy nobles, who, I might add, would be dangling from Ashnard's gibbets if not for Ike, can't accept him. We don't care if they don't think we should be together. I realize that that there would be trouble if Ike returned to nobility to marry me; even if I gave him back his title, or gave him a more grandiose one. If it weren't for that very fact, then we'd already be wed, regardless of anyone's opinions. No one can stop us from loving each other and spending time together when the opportunity arises. And no one ever will."

…I see. As your friend, I must admit, I do respect your motivations. But as your advisor, I must urge you two to be cautious."

"Thank you, Lucia. And don't worry, we will."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that. Geoffrey will be more at ease as well."

"He's been worrying too?"

"Sort of. But, you know him. There's never a time where he doesn't have faith in you."

"Hee hee, that's true. So, what's next on the agenda?"

"Oh! I had almost forgotten! Geoffrey told me to tell you that there's a situation in town. I'm not sure what it's about, but he said he needed to speak to you about it personally."

"Really? Geoffrey usually sends news of any problems via a courier. If he needs to relay this news in person, it must be important."

"My thought exactly. He's waiting in the main hall downstairs."

"Ah, then I'll go see him right now. I hope nothing bad has happened."

"Me too. As I said before, we really don't need any more accidents."

"Exactly."

With that, Elincia hurried through her bedchambers and out to the halls of the castle, trying vainly to simultaneously smooth out her dress and straighten her hair in midstride. As she navigated the opulent corridors and servants and guards leapt to the wall to clear her path, she wondered what news Geoffrey had for her. Though, she had a vague idea of what the problem might be. Although the reconstruction was going fairly well, it, much like Elincia's relationship with Ike, wasn't without its various snags and difficulties. Some of the common folk, and sometimes even the nobles, had quarrels with the laguz. Though many people had found themselves wondering if the laguz might not be the vicious "sub-humans" they were reputed to be, many more were still unconvinced. There had been reports trickling in of minor accidents at construction sites, quarrels between the workers and other such incidents. Elincia was almost sure that whatever news Geoffrey had was of that nature…except, beforehand, he had always sent such reports in writing. Why did he feel the need to report this particular incident in person? When she entered the castle's main hall minutes later, Elincia noticed Geoffrey awaiting her, just as Lucia had said. She quickly approached the general, whom was massaging his temples in clear frustration.

"Geoffrey, is everything alright?" Elincia wondered. "Lucia told me you wanted to talk and that there was a problem in town. It's serious, I take it?"

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry to report that it is, in fact, quite serious. As you may know, certain nobles have been…ambivalent about the presence of laguz in the capital. And, I'm afraid that those nobles have just about crossed the line this time, your majesty," Geoffrey reported.

"Oh dear… What now?" Elincia inquired with a sigh.

"Duke Aden was evaluating the progress made thus far in rebuilding the city's main square, when one of the laguz workers accidentally dropped a bucket of paint on him. Predictably, he is trying to fire the entire crew of laguz workers rebuilding the square. The laguz refused to leave just because he ordered them to, and the argument became heated. One of the guards down there reported the incident to me, so I went to see what was going on. Aden, like the pompous dolt he is, barked at me and said that I had no right to order him around. I then left to alert you of this incident so you could make a decision on the matter. I took the precaution of stationing some guards in the area, but I can't guarantee that the situation won't get violent before you arrive."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Elincia opined, bringing a hand to her forehead. "I'll go out there and see what I can do. How are things with the recruits going? We still need plenty of new soldiers after what Ashnard's army did."

"Oh, that's going very well…considering the state of our standing army and knights when we began. Those veteran soldiers and knights, those whom we can spare from other duties, that is, are still hard at work training new recruits. Even better, the cadets and squires are proving to be quite promising."

"Ah, excellent. I'm glad to hear that at least _something_ is going smoothly right now."

"Indeed. Especially after that incident with the fire mage apprentice."

"Definitely."

With that, Elincia made her next destination the royal stables. Her Pegasus, Gwydion, gave a rattling neigh at the sight of her and fluttered his wings, though more stiffly than she recalled from her childhood. Gwydion had served not only Elincia, but also her great-grandmother, as she had been a famed Pegasus knight before she had married into House Crimea. And, the Pegasus who now served his mistress' descendant was getting up there in age, but he was still strong enough to carry Elincia where ever she needed to go. She chose not to don her ancestor's armor, nor to bring her faithful sword, Amiti, along with her. Though her patience with people like Aden was waning, she fervently hoped that there would be no reason to raise her blade at either the laguz or the disgruntled nobles. Lucia had warned her, correctly, it seemed, that these squabbles were to be expected in such transitional times, but Elincia was growing more and more frustrated with putting out these brushfires when there was so much else to do. Still, the queen hoped that she would get to the scene before violence did ensue. Such a blaze could spread, causing other laguz and beorc to become involved, and the rebuilding of the capital degenerating into a street brawl was the last thing Crimea needed. What's more, though Aden was only a recent acquaintance, she knew him to be one of the more hot-tempered Crimean nobles. He was argumentative and easily riled; and initiating battles where there was no need, Elincia knew, was well within his character. At this notion, the young queen mounted Gwydion quickly and spurred him into flight, angling towards Melior's main square.

The first thing Elincia heard when she approached the square, as she had expected, was yelling and shouting. Down below, a group of beorc and laguz had congregated and their attention was fixed upon a gray tiger laguz and a dark brown haired man, clad in blue robes and carrying a gold and silver tome. Judging by the less-than-slight layer of white paint covering man's head and half of his torso and arms, this was, without a doubt, the conflict Geoffrey had spoken of. As Elincia began to make her descent, the two adversaries' ongoing quarrel reached her ears.

"We come to help you restore your country to her former glory and this is how you repay us?" the tiger shouted.

"And spilling paint on a government official is your idea of helping us?" Aden snapped. "We hired you to work, not to stir up trouble and make complete fools of us!"

"That was an accident and you know it! We've already apologized sincerely for it!"

"It doesn't matter! You laguz have been nothing but trouble since you arrived here! If the queen doesn't do something about you, then I will!"

"What did you just say? You're lucky I don't tear you to shreds, you spineless dastard!"

"Well then, you leave me no choice!"

With that, Aden assumed a battle stance and produced his light tome. He intoned an incantation, and his right hand was enveloped in a bright, sacred light. The tiger laguz transformed into its beast form, fangs bared and the feline form tensed to spring. Several cat laguz behind him, presumably the rest of the work crew, also transformed and made ready to fight alongside their leader. Elincia, her blood pounding in her ears, quickly swooped in before Aden could unleash his spell.

"Duke Aden, you will stand down this instant!" Elincia ordered. "That goes for you laguz too!"

Aden's incantation ended abruptly, the spelling fizzling out, and he whirled around to see Elincia herself hovering before him. The beast laguz, reluctantly relaxing their postures, quickly reverted to their human forms.

"Your majesty!" Aden greeted, his lips curling upward in a smile that reminded Elincia of a weasel. "I'm so glad you've arrived. I knew General Geoffrey would summon you here quickly. Please, these laguz must be taught a lesson! They're nothing but trouble! Furthermore—"

"Spare me your tongue," Elincia cut him off, her waning patience sharpening her voice. "I came out here to deal with you, not them."

"W-What?" Aden blubbered, unable to keep his expression from faulting. "But your majesty, look what they did to me!"

"And it was an accident, was it not?"

"Yes, b-but—"

"Silence! You had neither the right nor a reason to harass them like this; and you certainly had no reason to insult them or threaten to fire them."

Aden looked as though he was eager to argue the point, but instead he merely grumbled sourly and nodded his compliance. Elincia then turned to the group of laguz workers, some of whom seemed rather surprised by her defending them.

"As for the rest of you, you may continue with your work. However, please be more careful next time. Our supplies are spread too thin as it is, and we cannot afford to waste any more of them."

"Thank you, Queen Elincia, I'll monitor our activities more closely," the tiger laguz agreed and nodded. He and his fellow workers then marched off and returned to their work. The other beorc and laguz in the square soon dispersed as well.

Once the rest of the crowd was out of sight, Elincia returned her attention to Aden. Her expression had hardened with both severity and annoyance.

"Now, Aden, return to the castle and get yourself cleaned up at once. If I see you act out of turn again, you _will_ be punished," the queen warned. "Do I make myself clear?"

The hot-headed noble, by this point, was flushed with anger at her rebuke. However, with the queen already incensed with his behavior, even he had the sense to rein in his temper.

"…Yes, your majesty," Aden complied reluctantly. He whirled and stalked back to the castle.

Elincia remained in the square for a few more moments, feigning the act of casually examining the work going on around her while, in truth, keeping watch in case either of antagonists met again to resume their bout. Once she saw that each party was giving the other a wide berth, she sighed with relief, glad that she was able to prevent the incident from turning into a brawl. The young queen then rather gloomily heeled Gwydion into flight and began her return to the castle. Though she knew that entreating the once antagonistic races to make peace was a lot to ask, Elincia wasn't sure how much more of this nonsense she could take. Still, she was the queen, and she had to keep the listing ship of state afloat and on course. There was no one else she could trust with the Crimean throne. Although she knew that even Geoffrey or Lucia would make better rulers than any of the snobbish nobles, she also knew that the two siblings were already overwhelmed with their own duties. Elincia would never dare try to place the mantel, or rather, _burden_ of rulership on their shoulders. She was the only member of the royal family left, so the throne and the country were her responsibility to bear. No matter how challenging it was, no matter the endless frustrations and sacrifices, this duty had fallen to her. And, she would fulfill it.

When she had arrived at the castle stables, Elincia returned Gwydion to his stall. She then gently rubbed down the ancient creature's long head and neck, hoping to ease the pains of his flight, and tossed some carrots into his food trough. She always did so after he had borne her on his back and he had brought her home, as thanks for a job well done. And Gwydion always enjoyed the treat, as carrots were his favorite. Once she closed the stall, Elincia sighed again and retreated into the castle. She then sought out Geoffrey, whom she found still waiting tensely in the main hall. The young queen immediately approached her foster brother, who crossed the room to greet her seemingly in a single stride.

"Are you alright, your majesty?" Geoffrey inquired, almost fretfully. "Did the situation in town worsen?"

"Oh, no, everything is fine now. I just narrowly prevented a battle from breaking out, but I put Aden in his place," Elincia reported, trying to seem blithely confident, but instead sounding bitterly sarcastic. "Thank you for informing me of the situation, Geoffrey."

"You're most welcome. But you still look troubled. And, if you'll pardon my saying so, that tone of voice just doesn't become you."

"Sigh… I know. It's just that all of this is so frustrating and stressful. From the problems we've had in town to those unruly nobles… Sometimes I wish someone would just shoot me."

"I hear you, your majesty. Those nobles get on my nerves from time to time as well. There is some good news though, I've just received word that Bastian will be returning tomorrow."

"Ah, that's wonderful. He's always so helpful when there's a problem. And the fact that he's been in Melior doing research should prove useful. Hopefully, he's identified parcels of land suitable for new farms and mines, so we can get Crimea's economy moving again."

"I agree. With any luck, he'll identify land that, effectively, already belongs to you, since its resident nobles were killed by Ashnard. It would save us the headache of negotiating for use of land that is already owned but, even if such does become necessary, Bastian is best suited to strike a bargain. Even if he does talk too much sometimes. Well, rather, _all_ the time."

"Hee hee, indeed. …Well, if anyone needs me, I'll…ah, be in the castle gardens. And Geoffrey, _please_ be sure nothing goes wrong on the training grounds. The cadets and squires will be needed to replenish our ranks, and they won't be able to do that with a few broken bones."

"Will do, your majesty."

"Thank you."

With that, Elincia headed back outside to the castle grounds. She then made way for the large and beautiful gardens, and then entered. Even after nearly being killed in these gardens by a warrior of the self-proclaimed Wolf King, Arius, simply strolling through the endless rose hedges and listening to the bird song had already begun to calm her agitation. But, just as her life had nearly ended here, so too had her life begun anew here as well. She could see the fountain at the heart of the garden, not far from where she and Ike had shared their first kiss. This recollection, however, summoned her pained longing for Ike to be by her side, to take her hand and keep her company without a care for who might be watching. Unfortunately, there was only one time where such a thing had actually occurred. It was right after the end of the Mad King's War, following Elincia's return to Melior. And, they had walked the very same path the young queen followed now. As she began to recall the event, it began when Ike met her in a hall which adjoined a large balcony overlooking the courtyard where her future subjects had gathered to await her first public appearance. She had been nervous, almost petrified, that she was not ready to become queen. After Ike had given her some characteristically curt, but strangely effective encouragement, she took his hand. Afterwards, the two walked onto the balcony to greet the Crimeans below that were cheering for their new monarch and her champion. Even now, Elincia could still hear the jubilant voices echoing between her ears.

_"Hail Queen Elincia and General Ike!"_

_ "Long live our heroes!"_

It was clear to Elincia now that many of them would've gladly supported a love between the two…if it could be made public. Technically, Elincia was not yet queen at the time, but the people had already considered her to be their rightful ruler, and they had cheered even louder during the actual coronation. Ike and the Greil Mercenaries had attended the event as well, and once it was over, Elincia invited Ike for a walk around the gardens. She was eager to spend some time alone with Ike and, given his lack of fondness for garish parties, he hadn't needed much convincing. The two had a wonderful time, reminiscing about the past and talking about the future. Elincia would never forget the experience for as long as she lived. It was during this time that her affection for Ike had reached its current climax, the point where she was truly and madly in love with him. Later on, after that pleasant stroll, Elincia had insisted that a picture of the two be painted so that they would never forget their time together. When it was finished, Elincia gave it to Ike and he had promised to cherish it forever.

Elincia's mind continued to wander as she made her way towards the back of the castle gardens and the entrance to the royal graveyard, where her parents and other deceased members of her family had been laid to rest. High ranking nobles were also buried here on occasion, as were soldiers and knights of great distinction. Though Elincia had countless, faceless ancestors at rest here beneath the field of stone monuments, she sought only a particular pair: those of her parents.

Over the past few months, Elincia had visited her parents' graves as often as she could. At first, she had been reluctant to do so. All through her childhood, she had held in her heart the dream that she and her parents could one day be together as a family and, by visiting their graves, she was forcing herself to face the grim truth that that particular dream would never come true. The wound which this truth had cloven into her heart ached all the more when she recalled that, in order to maintain the secrecy of her existence, her parents had only visited her a handful of times. Yet, one day in her deepest loneliness, she had drifted to the graves of the parents she barely knew. Strangely, the act of doing so made her feel a little better. Almost as though, since she had always believed her slain family yet watched over her, they were happy that she had taken up the work they had begun of bringing about peace between the races. Gradually, the visits became more frequent, for it helped to take her mind off of her troubles, give her a sense of closure, and motivate her to carry on. She would even often sit by the graves and talk to her parents as if they were really there with her. Thus, her visits became less about mourning in grief and more about alleviating stress, or anger, or sadness, and reaffirming her promise to finish what her parents had begun. She would tell them about many of her experiences, about how she had met Ike and how they had saved Crimea, about the adventures the two of them had shared during the war, and even their falling in love. Other times, she would talk about the work in rebuilding Crimea, and the progress she had made in cementing Crimea's ties with the laguz nations. To Elincia, it felt like she truly was talking to her parents and that they were actually listening to what she had to say. And she knew, somehow, that were they alive, they would certainly enjoy hearing her tales. Perhaps they were proud of her for what she had done so far? She certainly hoped so.

After entering the graveyard, Elincia approached the graves of her parents. Their final resting place was marked by a pair of tombstones, larger and more ornate than a majority of the other graves, as King Ramon and Queen Lalita were among the most adored and respected of all of Crimea's past rulers. Elincia knew that even though she was their daughter and sole child, she would never be even half the ruler that either of them had been. Though she tried tirelessly, day by day, she simply did not possess the same skills or courage which her parents had. Even so, she always did the best she could to support Crimea in their names and in honor of their memories. It was up to her to finish what they had started, after all, and that was to strengthen the newly forged relationship between the beorc and the laguz. Not for the first time, she wished that her lord uncle Renning had survived and claimed the throne. Renning was as respected amongst the laguz as Ramon, or even Ike, and her lord uncle also knew how to judge when it was time to be a diplomat and when it was time to be a warrior. But, even if Renning had ascended to the throne instead of Elincia, she would still be attempting to realize her father's dream. Wherever their gentle souls rested, Elincia knew it would make her parents proud to see it happen.

"Hello, Father… Mother…" Elincia spoke up as she sat down between the two graves. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come, but there was an argument in the city between Duke Aden and some of the laguz workers. I think I managed to calm things down, but I really can't be sure if what went on won't start up again sometime."

Here, Elincia paused. Her vision had grown blurry while she spoke and, belatedly, she realized that she had been crying.

"Things would just…be so much easier if you weren't…gone…" she sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

As her teary eyes slowly cleared, Elincia caught sight of the bouquets of flowers that she, Lucia, and Geoffrey had placed on the graves sometime before. Though they had lain upon the graves for some days, they were still as beautiful as ever. There were several bouquets, comprised of roses, tulips, lilies, and other amazing flowers, arranged in a pair of interconnecting circles. This, Geoffrey had mentioned, was not happenstance, but had been specifically chosen for the royal couple who lay in state below. Ramon had been known to evoke the image of the Great Circle of Being, in which that which bound one person to another, be it love, or friendship, or loyalty, or honor, or compassion, or even simply life itself, had neither a beginning nor an end, but was an eternal and ever-expanding force that wove people of all descriptions together. The two interconnected circles had been Elincia's idea, for she felt it would take far more than six feet of sod and dirt to truly separate Ramon and Lalita. In fact, between how lovely the flowers were right now and the recollection of their subtle meaning, they managed to make Elincia smile slightly.

"I'm trying so hard…and yet, there are still problems," she continued. "But I know I must go on. I _have_ to go on. And, I am not alone. Quite the opposite, in fact; I have so many people willing to help me. This, I am grateful for. In fact…you, Geoffrey, Lucia, and Ike are really the only people who are keeping me going right now. Without their friendship, love, and support…I don't know where I'd be right now."

This was all too true. Though Elincia didn't know her parents very well, she had learned enough about them from Renning, Geoffrey, Lucia, Bastian, and Caineghis, the king of Gallia, to know that they were noble people; not only by the blood that flowed in their veins, but also because of how they lived their lives. She knew how hard they had worked to bring about peace between the races and that, if they were here now, they would happily take up the task once more. Geoffrey and Lucia were as close to family as she had, her brother and sister in ties deeper than blood, and they had supported her since they were children. And, from the moment she had met Ike, he had defended her no matter the danger to himself, and he had always offered her companionship, encouragement, and, later, affection.

"And speaking of Ike…" Elincia continued, quickly glancing around for any eavesdroppers. "It's still been hard to maintain our relationship, and I doubt that will change anytime soon, but our love is as strong as ever."

Elincia paused, her cheeks going pink and her stress finally beginning to fade.

"Maybe you both expected that Geoffrey and I would be the ones to get together, and I can understand that. He was certainly the only man I grew close to before I met Ike, even if he and I were raised as foster siblings. But as I've said before, I'm sure you'd support our love. I've told you about Ike, and I'm sure you'd really like him. He'd have enjoyed meeting you too. I know, that might sound a little hard to believe after what I told you about how he feels about nobles, but I believe you and he would've been good friends. After all, he shares our dream of forging a peace between the beorc and the laguz. He wants nothing more for all of us to get along, but he's always willing to stand up for what he believes in…"

Elincia's small smile had by now grown into a love-struck grin of preposterous size, and she gently lowered herself back upon the soft grass. Her hands strayed to her chest as her thoughts meandered to Ike once again. Yes, her parents would surely have respect for him, and what's more, Ike would likely show them the same respect as well. Though Ike's opinion of nobles and royals was less-than-flattering, she knew he would hold respect for those few who, like himself, was defined by their lives rather than their birth. And, even though Elincia would never hear her parents agree with that sentiment, she nonetheless felt a flutter at her heart and a curious warmth at her cheek, as though they were still present in spirit and silently voiced their approval.

At that point, however, Elincia's mind began to follow another path. What would Ike's parents have made of their son secretly courting a queen? Ike barely knew his own parents, as his mother had died many years ago and his father had been a man of many secrets. As her own parents were a mystery to her, Elincia could readily empathize. She herself had only known Greil for mere days, but she could see that Greil was a powerful warrior and an exceptional leader; traits which his son had inherited in abundance. Much as she found her father's legacy difficult to live up to, so too did Ike; yet, Elincia always believed that Ike had succeeded where Elincia yet struggled. Perhaps, the next time she and Ike could travel alone together, he might find the same comfort she did in visiting his father's grave? His last letter revealed that, thankfully, Greil's final resting place remained undisturbed. Perhaps he had even earned enough money to rebury the body in Crimea, as he had planned? Elincia's thoughts continued to drift, overflowing with so many questions and musings, that she didn't hear someone calling to her from nearby until the voice reached a pitch that finally snapped her out of her trance.

"Your majesty!" Lucia shouted.

"Huh? Oh, Lucia! I'm so sorry," Elincia replied, suddenly springing up. She then scrambled to her feet and hastily brushed herself off.

"It's alright, your majesty. I could see that you were enjoying yourself and I have to admit that I didn't much relish having to disturb you," Lucia admitted.

"Ah, don't worry, I'm sure you have a good reason."

"I guess that depends on how you define "good." Anyway, I thought I'd find you back here after Geoffrey told me of your stroll in the gardens. I hate to tell you this, but the nobles wish to meet with us in the conference chamber immediately."

"…They show up just when I've gotten my good mood back? That figures."

"Yeah, unfortunately. And to be honest, I don't like it anymore than you do. But we should go before they get too fussy. You know how they are."

"…Sigh, of course."

Well, at least Elincia had _some_ time to enjoy herself before hearing Lucia's news. And, much like the one drop of water that keeps a thirsty man alive in the desert, that was better than having none at all.

With that, the two headed back inside the castle. The two women were already wondering what the nobles intended to discuss, none of their speculations being terribly flattering, and why they apparently did not request Geoffrey's presence. Perhaps they decided he was too busy with overseeing the training of the new recruits? Elincia would actually be happy if this were the case, as it would be reasonable to not drag Geoffrey away from where he was needed most. Another possibility, however, could be that the nobles simply didn't want Geoffrey's presence at this meeting. After all, certain nobles had been at odds with Geoffrey for quite some time, even outside of these meetings. In fact, Elincia had lately found herself suspecting that that some of them would be very happy to see Geoffrey stripped of his title and replaced. Whatever the case, she strongly suspected that the incident from the main square was going to be a prominent topic in the upcoming discussion; and this was a prospect she did not relish. Lucia, thankfully, sensed Elincia's discomfiture and spoke up.

"Your majesty, don't worry. I'll do my best to ensure that this goes as smoothly as possible," she assured.

"Ah, thank you so much, Lucia," Elincia replied, managing a smile. "I know I can count on you."

"Indeed. Another thing, admittedly, is that Geoffrey won't be around to argue with those glorified jesters. That's a plus. It takes two to tango, after all."

Elincia jerked to a halt, blinking at Lucia in a bemused fashion. Lucia, realizing her error, smacked her forehead and cringed at her own words.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Considering our…earlier discussion, that was a poor choice of words."

"Don't worry," Elincia assured, her shock melting into humor. "A little spinster humor never hurt anyone."

This time, it was Lucia's face that faulted.

"What?" she blurted, quite startled to hear such a taunt from the typically demure Elincia. "I've had more men chasing after me than Ashnard had in his whole army!"

"Ah," Elincia murmured, her lips curving in a wicked grin. "But, my dear heartbreaker, they'll all take the hint someday. Then, all you'll have for companionship will be about twenty cats…and, perhaps, some nieces and nephews."

Lucia picked up Elincia's implication, about just who would be siring those nieces and nephews, easily enough. Smirking devilishly, she playfully jabbed Elincia in the side.

"Let's see if you're still laughing when "his" babies all inherit his appetite and you wind up wider than a wyvern," she taunted.

Elincia, her expression no less mischievous, slapped away the offending hand.

"Who needs Geoffrey to start fights?" she wondered rhetorically. "We're doing fine on our own."

"Yes… That is indeed true," the chortling Lucia agreed.

As much as Elincia appreciated the back-handed show of support from Lucia, and the badly needed relief their shenanigans had given her, she was nonetheless forced to admit that Geoffrey did indeed contribute to some of her stress. Of course, he would never intentionally do such a thing, but the commander of the Royal Knights was not the most patient man when it came to bureaucratic squabbles. The most common scenario which occurred between him and any of the Crimean nobles was one of them suggesting an idea and then the other protesting against it. Then, an argument over the subject would eventually ensue. Geoffrey always apologized for his behavior if it was truly out of turn; but even so, the battles never seemed to end. Now that Lucia had brought up the subject, however, Elincia was beginning to suspect that Geoffrey himself did not realize the harm he was unwittingly inflicting. Not that she could blame him, she likely wouldn't realize it either if it were her in his position. Still, Elincia hoped he would discover this fact soon, for her sake as well as his own.

As if the queen's thoughts had been a summons, the large doors opposite Elincia and Lucia had been walking through suddenly burst open and Geoffrey himself was revealed. He quickly rushed towards his sister and queen, heavily panting and his expression etched with worry. In fact, the general looked so flustered that his face had turned red and he had broken out in a cold sweat.

"Geoffrey!" Elincia exclaimed, alarmed at his appearance.

"Your majesty! Lucia!" Geoffrey gasped out between breaths. "I'm so glad I found you both. I was afraid I'd have to search all of the gardens."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. But what's the matter? Are you alright?" Elincia inquired, almost breathlessly.

"Yeah, you look like you've been running the length of the castle," Lucia added.

"I deeply apologize, your majesty, but we have a serious problem," Geoffrey reported. "Three of our new recruits have taken ill!"

"What?" Elincia gasped.

"What do you mean, Geoffrey?" Lucia demanded.

"At first, I thought they were just getting tired," Geoffrey explained. "They were sweating profusely, they mentioned their heads were throbbing and they looked badly flushed. I assumed they needed to rest and sent them back to their barracks. But, when they suddenly collapsed, I knew something was wrong. It turned out that they all have fevers and are nauseated too. I think it's some kind of flu. I had them confined to the infirmary after that, and then I went to look for you."

As Lucia listened to her brother's account, her face had turned ashen.

"Geoffrey," she began, speaking in a slow but urgent tone. "Listen to me very, _very_ carefully. Who all had contact, any contact at all, with the ill recruits?"

"Their sparring partners, obviously," Geoffrey replied, after a moment's consideration. "The armorer, when he fitted them with their equipment, the other recruits who helped carry them to the infirmary, and—"

"Blast!" Lucia fumed, cutting her brother off. "If the disease struck three people that quickly, then it must means be highly contagious. Between all the people those recruits must've been carried past, and those that carried them, this infection could spread rapidly. There was a similar outbreak in one of the villages in the duchy of Felirae, and it spread through the whole village practically overnight. Your majesty, we must do something about this! And, quickly!"

"I agree entirely," Elincia replied, hoping she sounded surer of herself than she felt. "But before we decide a course of action, I'd like to quickly examine the patients myself. I am a healer, after all. And if it turns out that this illness is something that can be cured quickly, then there would be no need to take any drastic measures."

"Alright, but I must advise you to be careful, your majesty," Geoffrey warned. "As Lucia said, it's likely very contagious."

"Yes, Geoffrey, I know. Don't worry. In the meantime, Lucia, I need you to have a doctor meet me down in the infirmary. Geoffrey, keep a close eye on everyone that was on the training grounds at the time those recruits fell ill. If any of them get sick, let me know and have them report to the infirmary at once. Also, see to it that anything the ill recruits touched gets burned. The disease may still spread, even if they are cured."

"Will do," Lucia obeyed.

"Understood," Geoffrey added.

"But wait, what about that meeting the nobles requested?" Lucia wondered.

"They'll just have to wait. A situation that could potentially turn into a flu epidemic is more important than their paltry issues. Could you let them know that I'm unable to meet with them at this time?"

"I quite agree. And of course."

With that, the two siblings departed to carry out their orders while Elincia immediately started for the castle infirmary. It was atypical for the infirmary to see much use, even in during a war, unless there was nowhere else to send the wounded. However, with all the new recruits training to enter the Crimean army and Royal Knights, not to mention the wounded from the Mad King's War still being treating, the facility was kept busy tending to soldiers who were injured or took ill in peace and war alike. The only other time the infirmary saw such extensive use was in the event that other clinics in Melior became completely overwhelmed with patients. Thankfully, the latter scenario didn't happen very often, but Elincia knew that if the situation at hand _did_ turn into an epidemic, then it just might change, and soon.

At this notion, Elincia broke into a run. She took the stairs three at a time to reach the first floor, where the infirmary was located. She hoped that the doctor she'd sent for would not be far behind. In the meantime, Elincia asked a passing maid which rooms the ill recruits were resting in. After receiving the directions, the young queen proceeded to each room. She did not doubt Geoffrey's words about the patients' symptoms, but she had seen enough patients during the war to know that it took a healer's eye to discern what affliction was at work. She very much hoped to discover, perhaps, that he was wrong, and this wasn't the flu after all. Unfortunately, a cold feeling in her gut told her that his diagnosis was correct, even though the knight was far from being a doctor. When Elincia came to the first room, she quietly cracked the door and peered inside. She lingered just beyond the door, squinting to make out the man slumbering fitfully on the cot. If this flu was as contagious a disease as Lucia thought, Elincia knew that getting much closer could allow it to spread, she knew, so she kept her distance. As Geoffrey had said, the young man was in bed, he was clearly suffering from a fever, for he dripped with sweat despite seeming to be shivering. A pail sat next to the bed, likely a precaution in case his condition turned his stomach mutinous. He murmured incoherently, but was otherwise eerily still.

Elincia quietly closed the door and paid a visit to the other two patients. As she expected, they were both in the same condition as the first. All were feverish, sweaty, fatigued, and suffering from severe nausea. Geoffrey's supposition that this was the flu, and an aggressive version of it at that, seemed to be grimly confirmed. Though Elincia had studied the lore of healers, and knew of many different kinds of flu, she had never seen one like this. It would surely spread quickly through the castle, perhaps even beyond, if she did not act quickly. Fortunately, the doctor she had sent for arrived moments later. He was an older man with graying brown hair, blue eyes, and white robes. Surely, he would be able to help find a successful solution if the situation took a turn for the worst.

"Ah, there you are, your majesty," the doctor greeted. "Lady Lucia had said you wanted to speak to me?"

"Oh, yes, did she tell you about the ill recruits?" Elincia inquired.

"She did. I'm quite concerned about this event, however. Like Lady Lucia, I heard about an illness like this rapidly afflicting that village in Felirae. I'll do my upmost to help care for the sick, but I can't guarantee that this illness won't spread. It definitely sounds like a flu of a sort we have not seen before."

"That's what I was thinking. I took a look at the patients myself."

The doctor's flushed face suddenly seemed to turn as pale as ivory.

"You did?" he replied, his tone almost begging Elincia to contradict the words. "If you don't mind me saying, your majesty, that was a rather risky move."

"Oh, I know," Elincia agreed, trying to reassure the worried physician. "But, I just had to see if the situation was a serious as Geoffrey thought. I know something of medicine and healing myself, you know."

"Of course," the doctor conceded, though his tone had become stern. "But, no matter how much knowledge you may have, you nonetheless have put yourself at risk of catching the disease. I'll see what I can do myself, and I'll give you my report when I'm finished."

"Alright, please do your best."

"Understood."

With that, the doctor made for one of the patients' rooms, leaving Elincia alone save for the company of the many grim thoughts racing through her mind. Lucia's story about the stricken village in Felirae still echoed in her mind and, if this flu could indeed spread very easily, she knew she would have a disaster on her hands. From what Geoffrey had told her, many people had had contact with the three ill recruits. Could any of them have left the castle by this time? If so, and this flu escaped into the capital, it would have the potential to become an epidemic. With all the immense population of Melior, not to mention the throngs of people coming and going from the capital, the illness would spread throughout Crimea, and then possibly to the other nations if she couldn't contain it at the source. Gallia would be hit especially hard, due to their people having been aiding in Crimea's reconstruction and the potential danger of laguz workers carrying the illness with them as they returned home. As Elincia had pointed out during the dispute at the town square, their supplies were spread too thin already. Even if there were enough medicine and supplies to combat the disease, much of the resources donated to Crimea would be diminished in an effort to control it. Those who were already frail or who were less fortunate would likely die from the illness before help could reach them, and worst of all, it could even strike the Greil Mercenaries…and Ike. Elincia tried to reassure herself, recalling that her lover was not very prone to illness, but she still feared that he'd become afflicted should he come into contact with someone who was already infected. And, given how many people called upon his services, Ashera alone knew how he'd avoid such an encounter.

The young queen then shook her head in defiance of these dark thoughts, struggling to banish them from her mind. Though she had been caught unprepared by this dire situation, she would not cower in fear as she had when Ashnard had invaded. She was no longer a carefree, secluded princess, but the ruler of a country. And, for now, she would serve her people best by being calm and devising a solution. And besides that, Elincia had several people she could turn to for help if she needed it. Geoffrey and Lucia were always there for her, and there was no doubt that she would receive aid from King Caineghis. The Greil Mercenaries would also do whatever they could too. Even if they too fell ill, Elincia knew they would try their best to ensure that a flu did not topple Crimea's hopeful future.

What's more, there wasn't even an epidemic to deal with yet. It might very well be that the situation was less grim than it appeared. But Elincia knew that she had to at least be ready for the worst. If there was the chance of an epidemic, she would find some means to prevent it. And, if it occurred anyway, she would find some way to control it. Though it felt like days, Elincia realized that only an hour had passed since the doctor began his examination and Elincia's still racing thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of a door opening and then closing. She looked down the hall to see the doctor himself approaching her once more.

"Well?" Elincia inquired, sounding less calm than she would have preferred. "What did you discover?"

"Your majesty, I've concluded that this is, indeed, a case of the flu. This is doubly serious, as it is also a new form of the flu that is unfamiliar to me," the doctor reported. "I'm afraid that this may spread quickly if it is not properly contained."

"I had a feeling this would be the case… Then I will do what I can to, at least, prevent it from spreading outside of the castle. At all costs, it must not spread beyond these walls."

"Alright. I would advise that if this gets too out of hand—"

"Your majesty!" a familiar male voice rang out, cutting off the doctor. Geoffrey had come rushing down the hall once again, only barely managing to avoid barreling into the pair.

"Oh no. Don't tell me…" Elincia spoke up as the knight approached. "More ill soldiers?"

"Worse than that, I'm afraid," Geoffrey corrected. "Three other recruits, two guards, the armorer and a maid have all taken ill. This isn't looking good."

"I agree," the doctor added. "Your majesty, disregard what I said earlier; this _is_ beginning to get out of hand. I advise that the castle be closed to any and all visitors, and that no one here be allowed to leave, so that this disease doesn't spread. If it were to reach Melior, it could spread to the rest of Crimea, and perhaps Gallia as well, in a matter of days."

"Yes, just what I was thinking," Elincia concurred. "Geoffrey, go order that all gates be closed and barred. No one is to be allowed to enter or leave the castle until I say otherwise."

"Of course, but what about Bastian? He doesn't know what's going on," Geoffrey pointed out. "With his magic, barred gates might not keep him out; especially if he suspects something is wrong."

"Ah, yes, good point. We'll send him a messenger pigeon, since it's too risky to send a beorc or laguz courier. Have the note tell him not to return until we have this situation under control. He'll have to remain in the city for the time being, and add that he should be on the lookout for anyone arriving at Melior from the castle. I don't know if anybody has left yet but, if they have, tell him to make sure they don't spread the illness."

"Understood."

With that, Geoffrey departed. The doctor returned his attention to Elincia once more.

"Well, your majesty, all we can do right now is discover where this flu is originating from…and hope we can contain it and, ultimately, cure it," he said.

Elincia sighed before responding.

"Yes… Yes, indeed…"


	15. An Ultimate Challenge: Part 2

Part 2: An Epidemic

After learning of the newest victims of the mysterious flu, and issuing the order that the castle gates be barred, Elincia knew that her hopes that this malady would prove brief and harmless had been dashed. And, utterly.

If this illness could afflict ten people in a matter of minutes, then she shuddered to think of what might happen if it escaped into Melior…or beyond.

She had begun to contemplate the possible origins of the unknown flu; for, as she had told the doctor earlier, she had some knowledge of the art of healing. But, in a perverse irony, this knowledge showed her only the sheer number of ways this illness could have entered the castle. Such a virus, she knew, could be carried from one place to another by an ill person, or anything that such a person might have touched. And, with all of the people and goods that entered and departed the castle daily, and the traffic had been especially heavy with the reconstruction of the country and the rebuilding of the army and knights, she could already envision a hundred ways the flu might have gotten in…

…at least several of which might have allowed it to get back out again.

"So, your majesty, I have a theory about what might have caused this," the doctor spoke up, interrupting Elincia's grim musings.

"Oh? Please, do tell," Elincia gratefully insisted.

"Well, I suspect that the source might have been something the first three victims ate. Infectious diseases all too often result from food poisoning and the flu is no exception. Something in those recruits' last meals…sorry, poor choice of words. Something in their _most recent_ meals may very well have somehow gotten contaminated."

"Yes, that could definitely be the case. We'll have to ask those recruits what they had eaten recently, so that we can narrow down which foods to examine."

"And, if we can identify the contaminated food, we must get rid of it immediately before anyone else eats it. Then, it is imperative that we find out where it came from in the first place. Very likely, there are people in that area who have also fallen ill; and it will have to be quarantined as well."

"Right. Can you question the first three ill recruits? I suspect that you and the other doctors know best how to do so without getting sick yourselves. But, be careful nonetheless."

"Yes, of course."

With that, the doctor cautiously returned to one of the rooms occupied by the first three patients. Again, Elincia grappled with the cold knot of dread in her guts as she awaited his return. She desperately hoped that his theory would prove to be correct, and that they would not lose valuable time chasing down one potential lead after another. If this flu could spread as rapidly as the last few minutes suggested, then time was invaluable. The longer it took to figure out where the mysterious flu was originating, the more people it would end up afflicting. What's more, as the doctor had pointed out, if the source of the flu came from outside the castle, then anyone who worked or visited that area would likely be ill as well. Though the stricken castle and its afflicted could be effectively sealed off from the outside world, even one infected person beyond its walls meant the risk of the disease spreading throughout Crimea…and then the rest of Tellius.

Elincia felt her breath go short and hard while a cold sweat bespangled her brow. That cold knot of dread in her stomach seemed to tighten with every labored breath while horrifying images from the darker chapters in history painted a waking nightmare in her mind's eye. Some centuries ago, prior to the creation of the first healing staves and vulneraries, plagues occurred with horrifying frequency. In those days, people would die in such staggering numbers that ox carts were filled to bursting carting away the bodies. Another infamous image was those same bodies, heaped into small, macabre mountain and being feasted upon by the crows, as graves could not be dug fast enough to accommodate the deceased.

She suddenly found herself wondering if she would bear witness to such a nightmarish spectacle coming to pass, and the question chilled her to the bone.

But then, she pulled herself together and rattled her head, trying vainly to shake the thoughts from her skull. Her breath came a bit easier, but her hands trembled and her skin felt clammy from perspiration. Part of Elincia began to wish that Ike was there to comfort her, if not to help her to solve this burgeoning crisis. The other, more rational part of her, however, was glad the mercenary commander was absent. If he did, somehow, manage to penetrate the quarantined castle, it would surely put him at risk of catching the mysterious flu. And, Elincia would never forgive herself if that happened. She shook off the notion though. If Ike were to end up falling ill, she would do everything she could to take care of him, no matter what the cost. Since he could not be with her, however, all Elincia could do was keep him in her thoughts and, more importantly, stay calm and focused on the situation at hand.

As if the determined musing had been a summons, the doctor finally emerged from the last patient's room once again. He approached Elincia, a sigh escaping his lips, and the overwrought queen braced herself for the worst.

"So, what did they say?" Elincia inquired curiously.

"Well, the most recent meals they had varied quite a bit," the doctor began. "But, as we suspected, there is one thing they all have in common. Pork."

"So that must be the culprit then."

"Most likely. We have to warn everyone else that the meat may be contaminated. Especially the royal chefs, since they're the ones who actually had contact with it."

"Too late for that, I'm afraid," a masculine voice spoke up before Elincia could reply.

"What?" Elincia said, turning around. Geoffrey had reentered the room, his expression grim.

"Four of the chefs are now bedridden as well," the knight reported.

"No! This flu is spreading too fast! What…what am I going to do?" Elincia desperately wondered, sniffling. Tears began to form in her eyes as she felt her earlier resolution slowly crumbling away.

"Don't despair just yet, your majesty," the doctor urged, clapping a hand on the queen's shoulder. "We can still stop the flu before it strikes the entire castle if we put our plan into action. First, we must get rid of all the pork that hasn't yet been eaten. Next, we should then have anyone else who might've eaten it return to their rooms until they can be examined. That way, we can curb the risk of further infections. Then, we have trained doctors treat the sick. After that, we have to send someone to wherever the contaminated pork was delivered from and warn the workers there."

The doctor, Elincia absently noted, had in abundance the keen wits and calm decisiveness so characteristic of his profession. And, Elincia was forced to admit, she needed all the help and cool heads she could get.

"The castle steward would have received the deliveries of the pork," she noted. "He would have written down in his logbook when it arrived and where it came from."

"Good thinking," the doctor complimented. "We'd also best have him relieved until he can be examined. If he is sick, we can't have him infecting the rest of the food."

"Wait, back up. What do you mean contaminated pork?!" Geoffrey gasped, blanching.

"We questioned the first three recruits, and they all said they ate pork recently," Elincia explained. "Because of this, we believe that the meat made them sick."

Geoffrey looked deeply relieved…for the better part of two seconds. After the moment had passed, his brow furrowed in consternation.

"Oh, I see. Good thing I had a beef steak for lunch instead. But still, dozens of people could've eaten a pork chop or some ribs by now. I damn well hope we have enough medicine to treat everyone."

Geoffrey's concerns, Elincia knew, were valid ones. With all the new recruits training to enter the Crimean army and Royal Knights, the castle's stock of medicine was badly strained treating all the cuts and bruises that eager, young cadets and squires were so fond of accumulating. If there wasn't enough medicine to go around, then she could only hope that the quarantine ended soon enough that more could be brought in.

She fervently hoped so, for she'd seen lives left to chance far too often during the war.

"Me too," Elincia remarked feelingly. "We must make sure the infection doesn't spread any further. Also, we need to find the steward's logbook so that we can determine where the contaminated pork might have come from. As for who to send there, we'll dispatch another messenger pigeon to Bastian with whatever information we find, and have him and his men investigate. And if he needs help, I'll send a request for Ike and his mercenaries to aid him. We can't risk sending anyone from the castle until this malady is cured, no matter the circumstances."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll alert Lucia about your discovery," Geoffrey decided. "She'll be glad to send that pigeon. And I'll get started rounding up the sick as well."

"And I'll fetch more doctors," the doctor added. "We'll be needing them soon enough, I fear."

"Alright," Elincia agreed. "Then I'll head to the kitchen so that the chefs and I can get started on disposing of the remaining pork. I'll summon as many of the maids and servitors as I can to help out as well."

With that, the three went their separate ways to carry out their tasks. Elincia quickly raced to the royal kitchen. She desperately hoped that at least some of the kitchen staff were still there, even though it was well past lunch time. If they had already left, and the doctor was right about the pork being the source of the illness, then there was no telling how many might be afflicted in the several hours before the chefs returned to cook the dinner Elincia usually shared with Geoffrey and Lucia. She had to find the chefs and servitors, and warn them about the doctor's findings. Time pressed harder with each passing second, for the contaminated pork might well pass another pair of lips with every moment spent hunting down even one of the kitchen staff.

Time was of the essence, and the well-being of everyone in the castle, and perhaps beyond, was at stake. Elincia broke into a run, and was suddenly reminded unpleasantly of how her court gown constrained her stride. A nostalgic Ike had mentioned he rather missed seeing her in her dusk colored gown, but Elincia herself hadn't felt safe wearing it since she herself had taken the field during the war. Thus, she took to wearing her armor more and more frequently…as much for mobility as for her own peace of mind. Quashing the urge to voice her frustration in a decidedly un-queenly fashion, she tore her heeled slippers from her feet, a tactic she regretted when she felt the cold marble of the floor underfoot, and loosened her bodice to let her breathe more easily. With that, she grabbed handfuls of her skirts and lifted them up, giving her long legs their freedom. The smooth silk, however, offered her clenching hands little purpose and it slid, inch by inch, from her grasp. When her skirts were in danger of falling far enough that they might trip her up, Elincia leaned from one side or the other to grab another handfull; but, the motion upset her equilibrium and, more than once, nearly sent her careening into the wall.

Elincia had remarked that she no longer felt safe in this gown…but, it seemed she'd understated the case a little.

Quashing the urge to swear like a drunken, bad-tempered drill sergeant, she grit her teeth and charged onward. After several minutes of frantic sprinting, Elincia burst through the doors of the royal kitchen. Luckily, it bustled with people…some of whom noted the queen's disheveled appearance with obvious perplexity.

"Everyone in here, assemble at the entrance immediately!" she ordered once she'd regained her breath. Her voice had been so loud and sudden that everyone jumped upon hearing her shouted command, and quickly lined up before the young queen. Elincia, managing to at least partially compose her less-than-queenly appearance, motioned for the head chef, the bearded man with the largest chef's hat, to step forward.

"Yes, your majesty?" he wondered as he approached.

"An urgent situation has arisen. Several people in the castle have fallen ill with a strange and aggressive flu," Elincia began. The words were barely out of her mouth, however, when the chefs and other servants blanched with obvious fright and then began frantically murmuring amongst themselves.

"Silence, please," Elincia continued, though her words went unheard by the frightened mass of workers. Worse, the frantic murmuring was growing steadily louder…a sign that panic might soon erupt.

_What would Ike do in a situation like this?_ Elincia wondered in melancholy frustration. _Oh, that's right. He'd raise his voice and insult somebody._

It was hardly a tactic that Elincia relished, but she feared that this burgeoning panic would greatly add to the present crisis if she didn't act. Thus, she drew in a deep breath and let it out in one, deafening bellow.

"GET AHOLD OF YOURSELVES, YOU DULLARDS!" she screamed, so loudly that her throat felt raw. And her subjects, stunned into silence by this uncharacteristic explication, turned their startled gazes to her once again.

"I am sorry for my curtness," she more rasped than said, "but, we cannot afford hysterics at this time. One of the castle doctors and I have discovered that our pork is the likely how this illness has been spread. We have to dispose of every bit of it immediately, including what's in the granary. If anyone has recently taken any out of this kitchen, go and catch that person before they or anyone else eats it. Also, look in the granary for the steward's logbook. If there are any records of where this pork came from, they'll be in that book. Once you find the information, let me know immediately. I will aid you since we need to get this done as quickly as possible. Now let's get moving!"

"Yes, your majesty," the head chef obeyed, and then turned to his cohorts. "Alright everyone, let's hop to it!"

With that, everyone scattered and began carrying out their orders. Elincia, whose throat felt as if she'd just bitten into a fire tome, rubbed at her neck as she sought the granary. _Alright Ike, from now on, I leave the bellowing to you._

Thankfully, one of the kitchen boys had the foresight to bring her a mug of water. She rasped her thanks, drained the mug in one gulp, and then set to her work. One of the servitors had brought in a wheelbarrow for moving heavy bags of flour, and Elincia and the other workers began taking the pork and tossing it in. She also ordered that once the wheelbarrow was full, it was to be run down the ramp in the rear of the kitchen, down to the area where wagons would periodically arrive to dispose of the castle's waste, and dumped. As she worked, Elincia hoped that by this time, Geoffrey or Lucia had sent the second messenger pigeon to Bastian. If the Count of Fayre didn't get wind of what was happening soon enough, then he would likely try to enter the castle to investigate what was happening for himself. As Geoffrey had pointed out earlier, locked gates would likely not be able to keep out an accomplished sage like Bastian. And, if the count did find his way in, then not only would the investigation of where the contaminated pork came from be delayed, but Bastian would likely be unable to leave for fear of spreading the flu.

Hopefully, Bastian would not grow overly worried for the sake of Lucia and take it into his head to fly to the side of his less-than-receptive love interest. Like as not, Bastian's keen wits would be needed beyond the castle walls.

After a half hour, which felt more like half a week, the head chef reported that almost all the pork was disposed of, and soon, Elincia could move onto the next phase of her plan to control the crisis at hand. Unfortunately, the young queen's hastily drawn plan didn't quite _have_ a next phase yet. She would need to think fast about what to do next while Bastian investigated where the pork had come from. As she helped the others to finish their work, Elincia contemplated on exactly where and what that place might be. Most likely a farm, no doubt, or perhaps more than one farm, as there were several who regularly supplied the castle with food, but where would it be? Crimea had many farms, ranging from the northern village of Ohma to the southern edge of the country near Gallia. Recalling Ohma, however, led to another train of thought. Two militiamen, a heavy knight named Brom and a female soldier named Nephenee, hailed from that small hamlet. They had served under Ike in the Mad King's War after being rescued from imprisonment in a Daein occupied castle, and had fought for Elincia's sake even though she could do nothing to prove her claim of being King Ramon's daughter. It was more than nostalgia, however, that prompted Elincia's thoughts. Brom, she knew, worked on a farm with his large family. She wasn't sure exactly what he raised on his farm, but if he kept pigs, Elincia could only fear the worst. Not just for him, but for his family, and perhaps Nephenee and the rest of the village as well.

Elincia was now mentally kicking herself for not thinking of this earlier, before Geoffrey went to have Lucia prepare the messenger pigeon. Now, she had no way of knowing if Bastian would remember to pay a visit to Ohma and make certain all was well. She could only hope and pray that he did…if he got the message at all. Suddenly, as if Elincia's thoughts had been a summons, the kitchen doors burst open to reveal Geoffrey himself. The paladin's face, however, was once again frantic with concern.

"Your majesty!" he greeted, breathing heavily as he approached Elincia.

"Geoffrey, what's the matter? Wait, I think I already know," Elincia replied, easily predicting what the general was about to say.

"Yeah, more people have fallen ill. This time, it's some servants as well as some of my knights. More doctors have been summoned to examine them, but I'd better go check on those still out on the training and in the sparring rings."

"Wait, hold on a moment, do we know if Bastian has received our messages at all?"

"Ah, I almost forgot. I'm afraid I'm not certain. But he wasn't scheduled to return until tomorrow morning, if you remember. So I'm sure he'll receive our news before he arrives."

"Alright, that's good to know. When he replies, send word that I want him to make sure he visits Ohma."

"Oh, that farming village? Sure thing."

"Thank you, Geoffrey."

"But of course, your majesty."

"Well, once I'm finished here, I'll get Lucia and we'll ask around to see if any of the patients ate pork recently. You ask the recruits outside, as well as whichever soldiers and knights are training them. And, if any of them look sick, get them to their rooms immediately."

"Understood."

With that, Elincia continued her task while Geoffrey headed out to the training grounds. There were still at least a few soldiers and knights out there, putting the numerous cadets and squires through their paces; and that meant that if any of them were unknowingly infected, then the flu would easily spread amongst them all. Worse, the illness could then afflict a slew of others once the trainees and their instructors reentered the castle. As this grim notion took shape in his head, Geoffrey began to fear that despite Elincia's valiant efforts to control the situation, it would only be a matter of time before the entire castle, and perhaps, even Elincia herself, was afflicted. But would it be wise for Geoffrey to suggest to her that she leave and let him, Lucia, and Bastian deal with the situation? Would she trust the three of them to take over the handling of this crisis? Or, no less daunting, inducing the nobles to get their heads mortared on straight and help as well? That is, if they too didn't all get sick as well? Knowing Elincia, however, she probably wouldn't leave the castle at a time like this, even if Ike invited her on a date to Crimea's most gorgeous beach. Of course, it wasn't like Ike would do such a thing during so dire a crisis. But, even so, the paladin found himself suspecting that, if he did want to remove Elincia from the castle, then nothing short of her being sent out tied up in a sack would suffice.

The mildly absurd, and potentially hazardous, idea was discarded almost immediately. Still, Geoffrey shuddered at how Elincia ran the risk of getting ill herself with each passing moment. Nobody even knew whether or not this new flu might prove deadly without the proper treatment. And Geoffrey cared for Elincia more than just as his liege. She was amongst his closest friends, and she'd grown up alongside Lucia and himself. Elincia was like the little sister Geoffrey never had, and even after she had begun her affair with Ike, she had looked up to and trusted him in turn. From time to time, however, he found himself wondering if he thought of Elincia as more than just a friend. Even a blind man could tell that she was very beautiful and, at times, he felt his heart lurch or his breath go short at the sight of her smile or the sound of her laughter.

Of course, he couldn't pursue her. She was in love with Ike; and deeply in love with him at that. Geoffrey had never seen a love as strong as hers and Ike's and he wanted to support them. Yet, despite those sentiments, he couldn't help but wonder if he might still have those odd, wistful feelings for his queen. What's more, there was also the question of what Lucia would think of all this, since Elincia's clandestine affair was surely complicated enough without the addition of a second male admirer. His head nearly spinning at the conundrum, Geoffrey forcibly shook himself from these thoughts and focused on the task at hand. He would decide later whether or not to speak to Elincia about these matters.

Whether Elincia was his liege, his foster-sibling, his friend, or…something else, the general felt that it was his duty to be there for her when she needed him, and to protect her at all costs.

And, if ever there was a moment when she needed him to fulfill that duty, this was that time.

When he stepped out into the open air and arrived at the training grounds, Geoffrey immediately made his presence known. The cadets and squires, spying the general, ceased their training and came to attention, as did the handful of soldiers and knights instructing them. He quickly asked if any of them felt ill or had eaten pork recently. And, as he had suspected, some gave an affirmative answer to the latter. Geoffrey then explained the situation to them and ordered that they, and any others who began to feel ill, were to report to the infirmary at once. His words proved to be sadly prophetic since, judging by the sudden tinge of green and barely hidden grimaces overtaking a few faces, it looked like several more amongst Geoffrey's audience had also begun to feel ill. Grimly tallying the new count of infected, Geoffrey instructed that they were to be sent there as well. As the crowd thinned, however, Geoffrey found a face that he knew very well. A young man in bright red armor and sporting short reddish brown hair who, despite the call to attention, evidently felt that unceasingly swinging a steel axe at an invisible target was more important than hearing the announcement. As was often the case, blood trickled down his free arm and, as too was often the case, the paladin found himself nursing a headache at this particular knight's penchant for self-injury.

"Hey, Kieran! Hold up a minute!" the general called as he approached the slightly manic Crimean knight.

"Hm? Ah, hey there, General Geoffrey!" Kieran greeted. "What can I do for you on this fine day?"

_If only it really _was_ a fine day,_ Geoffrey mused to himself with a sigh.

"You mean you don't know?" he replied, wondering whether or not he ought to be surprised. "I just _announced_ it! A flu has been going around lately, and we think it's originating from some bad pork. You didn't eat any recently, did you?"

"What? Really? Uh oh…"

"…You ate some, didn't you?"

"For lunch, yeah. Well, I'll just have to grin and bear it, won't I? Nothing's going to stop the great Kieran!"

With that, Kieran enthusiastically continued swinging his axe in a fashion that made Geoffrey wonder how the red-armored knight had thus far avoided decapitating himself.

"Hey, wait!" Geoffrey protested. But Kieran didn't stop.

"General, really, you think a little flu is going to keep me down?" he replied, purposefully twisting the question to sound rhetorical.

Kieran's ego, Geoffrey was sure, would ultimately be the death of him. What he _wasn't_ sure of, however, was how he was going to convince Kieran of the peril he'd unwittingly stumbled into. The proud knight wasn't just serving under him, he was a good friend to Geoffrey as well. And, he knew Kieran well enough to know that the notion of being bedridden for a long time would likely wound the red-armored knight more than a sword through the guts. Of course, it was practically inevitable that it would happen eventually, but for the news to come out of Geoffrey's mouth would likely rub salt in the wound.

As Kieran continued to train, however, Geoffrey's supposition was grimly confirmed. The red-armored knight, already perspiring heavily from exertion, now seemed practically soaked with sweat. He seemed to shrug it off as an inevitable result of his intense training. However, his hand had begun to grow slick with sweat and, during the follow-through of a broad swing of his axe, the weapon slipped from his grasp and went flying into a nearby wall. And, as Kieran went to retrieve his lost weapon, his head lightened and his limbs felt leaden as a wave of fatigue suddenly descended upon him. Despite his staunch commitment to excellence and slightly manic penchant for egotism, Kieran knew that something wasn't right, and that Geoffrey's words were true. He suddenly felt hot; so very hot, as if he'd been buried under sand on a mid-summer's day. What's more, his stomach heaved and convulsed under the assault of terrible nausea, and he was suddenly so exhausted that he felt could fall over at any second. Of course, Geoffrey noticed this sudden change in his fiery subordinate right away.

"See, Kieran, you're showing symptoms already!" he pointed out, seizing upon this opening to get through to the otherwise hopelessly stubborn knight.

"But—urp…" Kieran attempted to reply, turning to face Geoffrey. However, his words were cut off as his cheeks suddenly puffed up and his complexion turned a sickly shade of green. Turning fairly green himself, Geoffrey tried to draw back, but was half-a-second too slow. A stream of yellow and brown vomit erupted from Kieran's mouth and splattered all over the general's legs and feet.

"Aaaah!" Geoffrey shouted in disgust, the green tinge of his face turning a deep and angry red. "Now look what you've done! Get your ass in that infirmary right now!"

"Aw crud, I sincerely apologize!" Kieran pleaded as he wiped his mouth. "Please!"

"I mean it! Or do I have to drag you in myself and run the risk of falling ill as well?!"

"Daah! Okay, okay, you win! I'll go!"

"And get that injury healed too!"

With that, Kieran lurched toward the castle and staggered his way inside. Geoffrey was mad at the mess that Kieran's stubbornness had created, but the fact that he had puked so soon worried him. He was the only patient thus far that had done so before arriving in the infirmary, not to mention that he was the only one to display so many symptoms so quickly as well. Still, Geoffrey knew Kieran's better nature well enough to know that the red-armored knight wouldn't let his commander fall ill as well, and that the possibility of such gave Geoffrey the leverage he needed to win the argument. Kieran, he knew, valued their friendship just as much as Geoffrey did, perhaps more, and his sense of loyalty was second-to-none. However, though Geoffrey foresaw the risks involved, he knew it was only right that he check up on Kieran later. That is, after he'd cleaned himself up. Once the general asked another knight to take over watching the trainees for any sign of others falling ill, Geoffrey headed back inside and sought his chambers.

Thankfully, no one saw Geoffrey on the way there. He could hardly bear to look at the added coloring on his legs without feeling nauseous himself, and he was in no mood to see what reactions they might evoke from others. Once inside, Geoffrey quickly unstrapped his leg armor and removed his armored boots. Some of Kieran's puke had stained the breeches he wore beneath his armor as well, so he changed out of those first and grabbed a clean pair from his wardrobe. After putting those on, he scrubbed his armor and boots clean in the bathroom. It took a little effort, since the puke had dried a little by this time, and Geoffrey's fingers soon ached from the rigorous scrubbing, but he ultimately managed to get them clean. After donning them once more, he grabbed his soiled breeches and departed, hoping that the washing maids were still on duty.

"I damn well hope you didn't ruin these, Kieran," Geoffrey muttered to himself. "They were new…emphasis on the past tense."

Geoffrey couldn't figure out if he was angrier at Kieran than he was worried about him. On the one hand, Kieran was infamous for his stubbornness and penchant for creating messes, such as the moist and smelly garments Geoffrey now held between thumb and forefinger a healthy distance from his nose. But, on the other, his case of the flu could be worse than the others; especially considering how quickly he showed multiple symptoms. Still, Geoffrey knew better than to worry more about his garments than his ill friend. He decided that he would drop by Kieran's room in the infirmary right after visiting the washing maids. Just as he'd descended the stairs and turned a corner, however, Geoffrey found Elincia on the other side and nearly bumped into her.

"Oh! Geoffrey!" Elincia cried, startled. "I was just looking for you. I had the kitchen staff keep looking for the steward's logbook, and I decided to check on you. I noticed you weren't outside anymore and…. Whoa! What is that terrible smell? Don't tell me you're sick too!"

The young queen was quick to cover her nose and mouth with her hands, but this did nothing to obscure the obvious worry in her expression. She sagged with relief when the paladin shook his head.

"No, I'm well so far…though I must agree with you about that stench," Geoffrey agreed when the aroma from his stained breeches reached his nostrils. "I apologize, I was out talking to Kieran when he fell ill. I tried to talk him into going to the infirmary, but he just staggered over and puked on me. Only my legs were hit, but it made a dreadful mess. I had to go scrub some of my armor, and I fear these breeches are beyond saving."

"Oh my, I see. Is Kieran alright? Is he in the infirmary now?"

For a moment, Geoffrey found himself wondering just how much he ought to tell her. That Kieran showed so many symptoms so rapidly was worrisome, and it was obvious that Elincia had enough on her mind already. But, conversely, she knew more about the healing arts and might know more than the paladin about what could be done for Kieran. The question was soon rendered moot, however, when he realized that Elincia's inquisitive gaze had hardened into a grim expression.

Geoffrey's contemplative silence, it seemed, had spoken for him.

"Yeah," he replied, somewhat reluctantly. "He's in the infirmary. Or at least he should be. I'm worried about him though, because he showed symptoms much more rapidly than anyone else, and I was going to check on him after dropping these off."

"I see," Elincia replied, not surprised but not happy either. "Then we have to find out why. I'll meet you down there, alright?"

"Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can."

With that, the two went their separate ways and Geoffrey continued to the roomwhere the washing maids went about their endless task. The stocky servant women heaped pile after pile of dirty clothes into an enormous basin filled with sudsy water, using rods to stir the contents in a fashion that called to mind a witch's cauldron, before dragging them up and down corrugated racks and stringing them on clotheslines. Idly wondering how they could tell what clothing belonged to whom, he tossed his breeches into the sudsy water and quickly rushed back out, angling toward the infirmary. He began to wonder if any future patients would soon be exhibiting symptoms as quickly as Kieran had; and, if so, what that might portend. Nothing good, he suspected; but, if not, then it likely meant something more serious could be wrong with him, and Geoffrey shuddered to think of what else could be afflicting his long-time friend. The paladin and the red-armored knight had trained as squires together along with Oscar, a lance paladin who used to be a Crimean Royal Knight before leaving to join the Greil Mercenaries. Even after Oscar left, and Geoffrey was later promoted to general, the two still often sparred and trained, and they had stayed good friends. Kieran, despite at times seeming almost as dangerous to himself as the enemy, had even earned the command of a platoon; and, he still dreamed of rising further just like Geoffrey had. If Kieran was in greater danger than the other flu patients, Geoffrey vowed that he would do whatever it took to save him.

The servants' wing of the castle flew past, and Geoffrey was downstairs again in a few frantic strides. He waved over a passing maid and asked for directions to Kieran's room, and he was in motion again before the woman had even finished replying. He soon found Elincia waiting for him outside of the door, though her anxious gaze was fixed upon the wall. Worry billowed off of her like vapor, and Geoffrey could understand why; for it seemed that every minute of the day, another person fell ill. And now, Kieran was afflicted, possibly with an even more severe case than the other patients. The general approached the preoccupied queen, heaving a heavy sigh that caused her to jump and spin in his direction.

"Ah, Geoffrey, I'm glad you got here so soon," Elincia greeted, though her expression was bereft of levity. "Shall we go in now?"

"Yes, please. I'm getting really worried about him," Geoffrey admitted.

"I don't blame you. Kieran's a good man and a faithful knight…as well as your friend."

"That he is…"

With that, Elincia gently pushed open the door. Inside, Kieran was abed, a thick blanket draped over him from the neck down to his feet. His head, the flesh of which had taken on a worrisome hue, rested upon two fluffy pillows, though these were now damp with perspiration. He grimaced slightly, his breathing was labored, and sweat relentlessly trickled down the side of his head and soaked some of his hair while his face had turned a pinkish hue from fever. His armor and boots had been removed and set aside, far enough away to dissuade Kieran from leaving his bed prematurely, and a small bucket lay by his bedside, probably to ensure that the room would not be repainted in an unsightly fashion if his nausea grew severe. However, Geoffrey easily noticed that the knight seemed far more fatigued now than he was when he'd seen him outside. His bleary eyes, which he struggled to keep open, gazed sightlessly at an uninteresting expanse of wall on the far side of the room and, aside from that and his breathing, the usually inexhaustible knight was eerily still. Kieran's condition had greatly worsened, and had done so far more rapidly than with any of the other patients.

"Oh no…" Geoffrey uttered. "Kieran? Are you…okay?"

"…Huh?" Kieran weakly replied and laboriously turned his head to see his friend. "Oh… General… Your majesty… Of course…I'm fine! I'm a knight of Crimea!"

"Could've fooled me," Geoffrey replied, his tone turning firm. "Just look at yourself. You can hardly turn your head and you've already got a high fever."

"Geoffrey's right, Kieran," Elincia seconded. "Please, you must stay in bed."

"No way…! No mere flu is going to keep this noble knight down! I've got to…train…! I wouldn't care if I puked…a hundred times!" Kieran protested and slowly, with slow and clumsy motions, attempted to sit up. However, his cheeks puffed up once more and he was forced to grab the bucket. Geoffrey and Elincia both grimaced as they listened to Kieran's gasp and his vomit hit the bottom. He coughed a bit afterward, but his feigned expression of determination yet remained.

"Kieran, really. For once, just once, be sensible. You're in no condition to be doing anything besides resting," Geoffrey countered. "You're in even worse shape than the other patients!"

"Yeah, and we'd like to find out why," Elincia added.

"Ah…" Kieran groused, lying back down. "Fine… And I think…I can tell you."

"Oh?" Geoffrey wondered.

"Yeah, I…had a nice big slab of ribs for lunch. Then I sparred with a couple of squires. They…they were green in the…gills. Literally, I mean…they're sick as well…"

Geoffrey sighed in annoyance. And here he thought his friend was afflicted with an additional disease.

"Well, that would explain it," he replied, a hint of displeasure in his tone.

"Yeah, that means you had a lot more exposure to the illness," Elincia replied. "This is bad, Kieran. I'll inform the doctors that your condition is serious, and tell them to check in on you more frequently."

"Alright…" Kieran reluctantly agreed.

"Also, Kieran…" Geoffrey began. "I'm…sorry for yelling at you earlier. You know, for getting vomit on me."

"Ah… It's fine," Kieran replied, trying to smile but not quite succeeding. "Besides, I was the one who messed up. I probably ruined those new breeches of yours…"

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure the laundresses can salvage them. Besides, it's not as if they wouldn't have gotten dirty in the field. Now rest, please."

"Okay…"

With that, Geoffrey and Elincia departed the room, quietly closing the door behind them. Kieran's condition reminded Geoffrey uncomfortably about his concerns for Elincia's safety in the stricken castle…and, perhaps, other matters that had weighed upon him as well. He broke the silence moments later with another sigh.

"Um…your majesty," he spoke up. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about as well."

"Oh? What's on your mind, Geoffrey?" Elincia wondered. She fervently hoped he was not about to lecture her regarding her relationship with Ike.

"Well, I believe that awhile back, I had—"

"Oh, you both are here," a familiar feminine voice rang out, cutting off the paladin. Lucia had come rushing down the hall.

_Aw, crud. I can't bring this up in front of Lucia, _Geoffrey silently opined. _She'd kill me. __And, that's assuming Elincia doesn't beat her to it._

"I heard about what happened to Kieran. Is he alright?" Lucia inquired.

"Hey, Lucia," Geoffrey replied, trying to keep his agitation from his tone. "I'm afraid his case is worse than those of the other patients. He's had more exposure to the illness."

"Oh dear. Of course, this would have to happen to Kieran of all people…"

"Yeah, he doesn't want to stay put in there either."

"Well, he'd better, or else he could spread this flu throughout the entire castle by himself."

"I can believe that," Elincia replied, massaging at a burgeoning migraine.

"Oh, your majesty," Lucia continued. "I nearly forgot. The head chef said they found the steward's logbook. It took them awhile, because the steward went to bed early when he realized he was coming down with something; and, he apparently took the book with him to his room. Still, there should be a record in there of when that contaminated pork arrived, and where it came from. The head chef was looking for you so he could let you know, but ran into me first; so he asked if I could hand it over to you. Also, a servant told me that Bastian sent a reply to your earlier messages. He said he would begin investigating as soon as he has information on where to search."

With that, Lucia produced a large tome. It had obviously seen a great deal of use, for it was battered, stained and dog-eared. But, when Elincia took the tome and flipped it open, she discovered neatly written tables detailing practically everything that came and went from the castle, when it arrived or departed, and where it came from or was being sent.

"Ah, excellent. I wanted that logbook so I could find out where the bad pork came from. We should find the most recent entries where the steward recorded a delivery of pork, and take down where those shipments came from. Once it's found, we must have someone copy down the important information to send to Bastian. With luck, we'll be able to figure out where he ought to go quickly enough. Could you take care of that for me?"

"Of course. I'll be sure to do so quickly."

"Thank you, Lucia."

With that, Lucia left, and Geoffrey and Elincia were alone once more. That is, until a maid had passed by. Interestingly, she arched an eyebrow at the pair.

"So, Geoffrey, what were you about to say earlier?" Elincia inquired.

"…Huh? Oh, about that," Geoffrey replied, forcing his face to adopt a blank expression. "I think I'll just tell you another time. There's something else's that's been on my mind lately, however."

"Okay. What would that be?"

"Well, I've been thinking. I know the castle doors and gates have been sealed off keep visitors away and to stop people from leaving, but maybe you should leave and let the rest of us handle this. You're our queen, and whatever panic or other ramifications this crisis might have, it would surely be a lot worse if you were to fall ill as well. And, ever since Kieran had gotten so sick, I've been worried about the same happening to you."

At first, Elincia merely blinked at these words. Geoffrey's suggestion, it seemed, had left her briefly stunned, but he already suspected that she'd take his advice badly.

That, unfortunately, turned out to be a rather spectacular understatement.

"What?!" she cried in incredulity. "Geoffrey! So many people here are falling really ill and we've been unable to do much to stop it! You really think I would abandon the castle at a time like this?!"

"What? N-No, no, not abandon! I just think it would be best that you leave until things calm down!"

"I don't care, there is no way I'm going anywhere until this flu epidemic is behind us!"

"But Queen Elincia… I beg you, please listen. We've known each other a very long time. Lucia and I grew up together with you, even though your existence was kept a secret from everyone else. But, don't you see how important you are? Not just to me, but to many other people as well? You were while you were still a princess and now even more so that you're the queen. I used to think back on those times, and remind myself of how cute or pretty you were too. But, these days, I only see how stunning you are now. I can't bear the thought of letting you run the risk of getting ill. I care too much about you for that…and, I always have."

The paladin had not meant for his convoluted affections to seep into his argument, but the words had tumbled out of him nonetheless. And, strangely, having given voice to his conflicted feelings, even in such a jumbled and oblique way, made him feel better, as though a weight upon his chest had suddenly eased. And, he was glad of it…until he noticed the veritable hostility of Elincia's expression.

"…Oh, so all this time, I've only been a pretty royal face to you?" Elincia replied, her pearly white teeth grinding together like a lion laguz's fangs. "Just an attractive figurehead for Crimea, and only important because I'm the queen?! And if I got sick, the illness would tarnish my looks?!"

"Huh?" Geoffrey blurted, stupefied at this sudden reversal. "No, that's not what I—AAGH!"

Elincia didn't let Geoffrey finish. She brought up her hand and struck the paladin across the face as hard as she could, leaving a large red mark on his left cheek.

"I can't believe you, Geoffrey!" the queen spat, her angry words degenerating into sobs. "I thought you were better than this!"

Angry tears streaming down her cheeks, Elincia turned and ran off, leaving Geoffrey to cringe and cradle his sore face. By the time he had recovered his wits, Elincia was long gone. And, he suspected, trying to explain himself would only rile her up all the more. All the general could do afterward was approach the wall nearby and lean his forehead against it, grimacing in pain and disgust with himself. Geoffrey punched the wall with his free hand, his battered knuckles protesting his self-directed punishment.

"Errgh! I'm such a goddess-damned idiot!" he opined out loud.

Meanwhile, Elincia had run all the way up to her bedchambers, slammed the door behind her, and threw herself onto her large bed. She buried her face in a pillow, her tears soaking its silky fabric. Did Geoffrey really only think of her as a pretty face and important figure because she was royalty? Was that the only reason he'd cared for her all those years? Didn't the person behind the shadow of the throne matter to him at all? Against Elincia's will, memories of the good times she'd had with Geoffrey when they were children sprang to mind. She tried vainly to block them out, for they cruelly reminded her of simpler times…and how she might never be able to look at the man who'd been like a brother to her the same away again. _How could he say such things to me? And even suggest that I leave the castle?_ Elincia wondered repeatedly in her mind. _All these years… And that's all he sees me as…?_

Laying on her bed in her court gown, Elincia knew, would leave in a dreadful state; especially considering the unorthodox alterations she made to reach the kitchen as fast as she could. But, she simply didn't care at that moment. She was too upset to think about it, and the pain of Geoffrey's words had caused the warp and weft of her fondest memories to fray and tear far worse than the dusk colored silk ever would. Her despairing reverie, however, was broken moments later by a knock at the door.

"Your majesty?" Lucia's voice called from the other side.

"Huh? Oh, Lucia. Come in," Elincia replied, sniffling and trying her best to dry her eyes. Lucia entered the room and, apparently unsurprised by Elincia's distraught state, gently closed the door behind her.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you like this," she said. "A maid told me she saw you running up here in tears. What's the matter? Did one of those nobles give you trouble again?"

"Oh… No, actually. In fact, I haven't heard so much as a word out of them lately. Perhaps they got sick too," Elincia replied, trying not to sound overjoyed at the prospect. "But, anyway, it was Geoffrey."

Lucia's eyebrows rose and her forehead furrowed in perplexity.

"What? Geoffrey? Why would he ever hurt you like this?"

"He…he said some awful things to me. Like he only cares about me because I'm the queen, and just a pretty face sitting on the throne. Or at least that's what it sounded like. And he told me I should leave the castle until this malady is over."

"What?! That doesn't sound like him at all. Are you sure?"

Perhaps the strain of the day had taken its toll. Maybe Elincia still felt incredulous from the paladin's seeming slight. Whatever the reason, her eyes narrowed and her expression darkened.

"I'm positive!" she snapped, her vehemence causing Lucia to stiffen. "You think I'm lying?"

"No, no, " Lucia replied, now wary of the queen's sudden volatility. "I just think you might have misunderstood him. I've never known my brother to act like that. I'm sure there has to be another explanation."

"Lucia, there _is_ no other explanation! I'm serious! He made me so upset that I slapped him!"

Lucia's placating expression suddenly faulted, melting into undisguised shock.

"You _what?!_" she bellowed in disbelief. "How could you do that to him?!"

"How could _I_?!" Elincia demanded. "How could _he_?! He was the one that insulted me!"

"I seriously doubt he meant to do that! And besides, you might have hurt him even more by slapping him! His face could be black and blue now!"

"Like I care after what he said to me?!"

"So now you don't even care about him anymore? Then maybe you should just strip him of his title next!"

"What?! Now that's just ridiculous! Why are you even defending him anyway? He hurt me first!"

"You know why! And I'm going to talk to him about this, just to prove you wrong."

"Fine by me!"

With that, Lucia stormed out of the room to find Geoffrey, leaving Elincia alone…save for the company of her dark thoughts. Now racing and jumbled, they all seemed to suddenly crash down upon her at once, squeezing her chest and crushing the air from her lungs, while her burning eyes brimmed over with tears once more.

_What have I done?_ she silently asked herself.

And, she had no answer. Geoffrey's words had cloven deep, at least as much as the mockery she'd suffered when Sanaki, the child Apostle of Begnion, forcibly dragged her into a "game of wits and words." Elincia could still remember the mingled bemusement and embarrassment she had felt when the "game" had been unmasked, and the warring senses of admiration and consternation she'd felt when Ike had leapt to her defense.

During the time they had spent together, in calmer circumstances, Sanaki had, by way of an apology, offered Elincia some advice.

"_In politics, take very little you hear at face value."_

Elincia had learned, the hard way, that such advice often pertained to the nobles whom she spent many a painful hour coaxing and negotiating with while, afterward, she had tried to parse what they had said for any double-meanings that might have sinister connotations.

She had never once considered, however, that Sanaki's logic also applied to her friends.

It had been more than her pride that came away wounded from her exchange with Geoffrey. Even though she was far from a savvy stateswoman, she had nonetheless dedicated every fiber of her being to becoming the ruler the Crimean people needed and deserved.

Did Geoffrey truly think so little of her that she ought to flee the castle and leave behind those who looked to her for leadership, letting them suffer in her absence?

Yet, the fresher bled cut more freely. Elincia and Lucia had been friends practically since the young queen had been born, and the pair had been as close as blood sisters ever since. Yet now, the two women had found themselves on opposite sides.

She tried to dispel the notion, telling herself that even the best of friends argued from time to time. But, the notion rang hallow in her mind.

Yet, another recollection of Sanaki resonated more clearly.

The tiny Apostle had, through her inexplicable charm, coaxed Elincia into relaying her past in Crimea. She'd been perplexed, since her life would surely seem dull and dreary to such a powerful and privileged young woman; but, as was often the case, Sanaki surprised her. The Apostle had listened to Elincia's stories of the royal villa, her lord uncle and her foster-siblings with obvious interest. Elincia's perplexity must've shown, for Sanaki revealed that, whereas Elincia had barely known her parents, Sanaki had not known hers at all.

What Elincia recalled most clearly, however, was how the Apostle had seemed almost envious upon hearing about Geoffrey and Lucia. This had struck Elincia, and profoundly. From what she had been able to see, the Apostle was adored by all around her…yet, Sanaki revealed that, as was especially true in politics, appearances could be deceiving. And, after one eliminated all the fakers, the poseurs, those who respected Sanaki only for her rank, those who blindly adored the Apostle but knew nothing of Sanaki herself, and those who only sought to gain her favor for their own profit, the Apostle could count the people who truly cared for her on one hand…

…And, with fingers to spare.

Though Elincia could readily empathize with such loneliness, she was nonetheless astonished that one so wealthy and powerful could so desperately hunger for something as simple as a touch of human kindness.

That, however, didn't stop Sanaki from imparting more advice. Another notable tidbit had been _"It's the people who smile and flatter that you should be worried about. The ones who speak plainly, especially those who are telling you what you don't want to hear, are worth their weight in gold."_

These words had harkened the young queen back to how she had rebuked Geoffrey's slights…and, she suddenly found herself wondering if they _had_ been slights at all.

Had she gotten so used to peering past every face for an ulterior motive, that she could no longer recognize genuine concern from one friend to another?

"This is just great!" Elincia sobbed into her pillow. "Geoffrey was probably only worried for me, and I shoved it back in his face! Now, he's upset, and Lucia will probably think I'm an ingrate when she learns what really happened… What am I going to do now?"

Elincia found herself wondering if the night could possibly get any worse. Considering how many sour turns the day had already taken, it seemed likely. What's more, the dusk had long since passed and, through the nearby window, she could see the sliver of moon gleaming faintly in the sky outside above her balcony. And, her crying had sapped her strength almost as much as fighting against the encroaching flu. Elincia then got up off of the bed, somewhat falteringly, and pulled her gown up and over her head. Though the garment was dreadfully wrinkled and spattered with tears and the grime of her labors, she was too weary and too vexed from her hazardous flight to the kitchen to care. After casually dropped it onto a chair, she went to her wardrobe, grabbed a short pink nightgown which dangled by a pair of thin straps, and slipped it on. She then returned to her bed, suddenly aware that she was weary to her very bones. However, Elincia doubted she would have a good night's sleep after the day's events. Many people in the castle were ill, and she feared that number would rise before the dawn. Almost as stinging, her sudden bout of temper had left her and her two best friends upset with one another, and at a moment when their life-long bond of trust and camaraderie was most urgently needed. Whether there had been any maliciousness to Geoffrey's words or not, Elincia knew the blame for worsening the situation lay with her. What was worse, she had no one to turn to for comfort or reassurance or aid, not even Ike. By her own order, the castle was to remain sealed to the outside world until the flu epidemic had been cured, so Elincia was on her own.

As alone, perhaps, as Sanaki was in her prison of cold marble, surrounded by people she knew could not be trusted.

Though Elincia had grown up knowing a great deal of solitude at the royal villa, her life afterward, and the many people she had met during the war, had caused what she had once demurely accepted to twist into something terrible.

As much as she hated being separated with Ike, loneliness wounded her no less.

Suddenly, as she vainly continued trying to force her head to stay on her pillow, she was jolted bolt upright by a loud rapping noise. It sounded as though it had come from the door to Elincia's balcony, and she could've sworn she saw the door quiver as though it had been suddenly jostled. Thinking the strain of the say was causing her to hear things, the queen got under her covers and attempted to make herself fall asleep. However, the noise echoed again, louder this time; and Elincia knew she hadn't imagined it. She got out of bed, opened her balcony door, and stepped outinto the cold night air. The door on her right suddenly seemed to catch on something and, looking down to the balcony floor, she found two small rocks which had become wedged under the door. They, no doubt, explained what those rapping sounds had been. Wondering who or what might have thrown them, Elincia approached the edge of the balcony and leaned over the wall to let her gaze rove over the castle grounds. It was night, and the moon was waning, so she could barely see anything, and not a soul was in sight.

Suddenly, the queen heard a whispered, but insistent call ring out from the darkness. It was a voice calling her name. Wondering yet again if she was hallucinating, Elincia decided to go back inside. Her sudden appearance hadn't attracted the attention of any patrolling guards, but she knew that any who were out there would surely be at work enforcing the quarantine. The sudden reminder of the present crisis caused a fresh wave of self-recrimination over her spat with Lucia and Geoffrey, and she could only hope there would be time for reconciliation later…assuming people didn't start trying to scale the walls or dig tunnels through the gardens to try and escape. Either way, she decided the guards on the alert for such a dire turn of events, and ready for the unenviable task of shoving back the would-be escapees, did not need the distraction of her sudden appearance. So, she turned to reenter her chambers.

Before she could take a single step, however, her name rang out again, and she irritably turned around.

"Alright, who's out there?" she called, placing her hands on the balcony railing.

"Don't worry, it's only me!" a familiar male voice replied. When the familiar baritone registered, Elincia's eyes widened with astonishment. _No way… _she thought. _How could he have possibly…?_

After a breathless moment, a tall, brawny figure emerged from a tangle of bushes. The sliver of moon, waning though its light was, illuminated the figure and revealed was none other than Ike himself. Almost as astonishing as his sudden appearance was his state of dress…or, rather, _undress_, as he was wearing nothing but his pants and boots. His signature blue tunic, red undershirt, red cape, and single shoulder pauldron were all tucked under one arm, and the feeble moonlight offered an enticing illumination to his broad, muscular frame. It revealed just a little, and made one want to see the rest. Elincia, despite her amazement that he had come and the rather arresting sight of his bare torso, merely chuckled before responding. Ike had somehow snuck in to see her, and decided to take his shirt off too. Of course, Elincia was very tempted by Ike's muscular shirtless form, but she knew that he could not stay long.

Far greater perils than discovery by Elincia's political adversaries now loomed over the couple.

"Ike!" Elincia greeted, both happy and surprised. "What are you doing here, you silly thing? And just how did you get in?"

"I came to see you, of course!" Ike replied with a smile, dropping his clothes on the ground with the casual air of the messy bachelor he was. "I thought that after all the times you came by the fort, it was time I visited you for a change. As for how I got in, well, it wasn't easy. I needed Soren's help."

"I'll bet you did! Stay right there, I'll be down in a minute. It's too hard to talk to you from way up here."

"Heh, I was rather hoping you would."

"Oh, you!"

With that, Elincia rushed back inside of her bedchambers and, too excited to even consider stopping long enough to re-dress, darted out into the corridor beyond. Padding her way through the marble corridors and down the stairs, moving as quickly and quietly as she could, she made her way downstairs to the nearest door leading outside, where Ike waited for her, hoping no one would see or hear her. Thankfully, she got outside with no trouble, and immediately approached Ike.

"Ooh, very nice!" Ike commented with a sly grin when he saw Elincia in nothing but her nightgown.

"Oh hush! You caught me when I was about to go to sleep!" the queen retorted.

"Heh, I don't mind," Ike replied and pulled Elincia close. He seemed to be in quite the romantic mood, for his storm blue eyes blazed with azure flames of longing.

"Oh! Ike, you fiend! I'm glad to see you, but you really shouldn't be here right now. I'm afraid you've come at the worst time."

Ike, thankfully, was aware of far more than his scantily clad lover, and his brow furrowed with concern at these words.

"What? Why?" he blurted, confused and worried. "Though I did notice that security has been tightened. Is something going on?"

"Yes, there is!" Elincia whispered, almost angrily. "A terrible flu has been going around! We've had to seal off the castle to any and all visitors until we can bring the disease under control."

"Really? Dang. That's pretty serious alright. But, I came all this way just for you. We can't have even a little bit of time together?"

Such a simple question; and one which, a day before, Elincia would not have even given a second thought before answering in the affirmative.

Now, however, it was different.

Ever since she returned to the castle after helping Ike and the mercenaries to find Ettard, the blade once wielded by Ike's father, Elincia ached to see her beloved mercenary again. Not ten minutes ago, deep in self-recrimination for losing her temper and snapping at her best friends, she had longed for the reassuring strength and tantalizing warmth of his strong arms, the soothing baritone of his voice, the mighty thrum of his heart and, above all, his staunch support and penchant for sweeping away her pain.

Yet, in that same breath, she recalled the danger he had unwittingly charged headlong into.

Images of the strong warrior, bedridden and in agony, flashed before her mind's eye. She saw Ike in the same state as poor Kieran, his brawny arms too heavy for him to lift and his azure eyes clouded with exhaustion, all the while emptying his stomach into a pail and sweating himself dry as a bone.

She shuddered at the image, prompting Ike to lay reassuring hands on her shoulders.

"Ike, I'm sorry, but you should go," Elincia warned, her voice quavering. "Dozens of people here are sick right now and this flu spreads like wildfire! And I'm afraid to kiss you because _I_ could very well be infected right now! I don't know what I'd do if you caught this terrible illness…and…"

As Elincia spoke her words, Ike's face drew nearer and nearer to hers; and soon enough, he cut short his love's frantic tirade by letting his lips meet hers. With a curious sound, as though she was moaning with delight and sobbing out of fear all in the same breath, she sagged in his grip and he pressed her smaller form against his muscular torso. Elincia curled her arms around Ike's neck, matching his kiss with as much desperation as affection.

Once again, Ike had amazed her with his willingness to risk his own well-being for her sake.

"Well…" Elincia uttered once their lips parted moments later. "Hee hee, I guess you can stay for a few minutes."

"That's more like it," Ike replied with a grin on his face and locked lips with his love once more. This time, the two lovers remained intertwined for a very long while; Elincia slid her arms across Ike's chest and back while his hands mingled with the bare flesh of her arms. Ike's probing fingers then teased at the edges of her nightgown, and then crept beneath the thin material so he could caress her torso and then her breasts. Elincia moaned happily as her own fingers explored the hard muscles of Ike's chest, stomach, and banded arms.

Ike, meanwhile, eased Elincia against a nearby tree with both a remarkable gentility of touch and, for Elincia, maddening slowness. He gently held her against the trunk as his hands continued to grace the young queen's smooth skin, her nightgown loosening slightly from the sinuous motion. Elincia allowed the straps to fall down and the gown itself to slide a little. But, when she realized it was slipping further and further, she made a distracted grab at it. Her grasping hands missed the mark and the gown fell down to her waistline, leaving her torso and breasts bare. However, neither she nor Ike minded, as they were enjoying themselves too much. Elincia lost herself in the pleasure of her love massaging her torso and kissing her neck, collarbone, and breasts. To keep her nightgown from sliding off entirely, however, Elincia sat down against the tree and Ike descended to his knees. As Elincia's arms curled beneath his underarms to slide her hands up and down his rock-hard back, his lips explored her naked torso and his hands caressed her bare arms. Elincia's head craned backwards as she again moaned in ecstasy.

If the two were not aware that there was a crisis in the castle, and they had been absolutely free to do as they pleased, the couple would've likely gone much further with their escapade. Still, Ike and Elincia both felt their lungs scream for mercy, and they were forced to draw apart and gasp for air. Despite her better judgment screaming that Ike had stayed too long already, and the risk of discovery or Ike falling ill grew with each passing moment, Elincia remained cuddled in Ike's lap, her still exposed breasts pressed against his chest and her arms wrapped around his neck. Elincia was determined to make the most of one of the rare moments when she and Ike could be together.

"That was…amazing," she rasped, her breathing still ragged.

"Yeah… Though I'll admit that I didn't expect to see you half-naked for real this time," Ike replied with a chuckle. "Still, it's not like I didn't enjoy myself."

"Hee hee, I'm glad…" Elincia giggled, then proceeded to press her lips against Ike's one more time before they continued to relax in each other's arms, simply enjoying the happiness of being together.

"Oh, but Ike, just how did you fail to notice that the castle was under quarantine?" Elincia wondered after their lips parted again.

"Well, " Ike began, his expression turning almost sheepish, "since I didn't speak to anybody, nobody could tell me. I figured somebody broke in or something. To be honest, I wasn't paying much attention. I had…other things on my mind. It's been awhile since I last saw you, after all."

"That's true… Still, how did you and Soren ever manage to find a way to sneak in?"

"Oh, believe me, it took a while. You did a good job around here. Soren actually had trouble finding a solution."

"Heh, at least I've done _something_ right so far."

"Oh don't say that. Getting back to Soren's idea, though, we first snuck around the outside for a while, hoping to find a lucky break. And we did. Well, sort of. We discovered a couple of loose stone blocks partway up the wall around the back. I thought that, maybe, I could pry enough loose that I could slip inside. But after I pulled one out, I saw a bunch of guards through the hole."

"Yeah, that was part of the tightened security."

"So I figured. Anyway, there was no way I was getting past all those guys by myself, so Soren decided he would create a distraction while I pulled out the other stone blocks and climbed through. Want to take a guess what he did?"

"I'm afraid to try."

"He pretended to be an apprentice. He conjured an Elwind spell, but he deliberately messed up the incantation, so that he could make it look like he was practicing and one of his spells went out of control. It knocked a few guys' helmets off, and blew some others right off their feet, so that definitely got their attention. Then, they all scrambled to find out who was making the ruckus."

"Oh my goodness," Elincia commented with a chuckle. "Going to have to get those blocks fixed though."

"Yeah, it was pretty funny. I still wonder what Soren told them. After I got inside and made it within sight of your balcony, I hid in some bushes until I figured you'd be in your chambers."

"Really? How long were you out here?"

"I'd say an hour, give or take."

"Oh wow, you really are a fiendish little thing. Most people get thrown in the dungeon for breaking in like this."

"Well, that's one way we could see each other more often. Maybe you could…_interrogate_ me. I'm a stubborn man and, in order to make me talk, you might have to get…_physical_."

"Why am I suddenly worried that all of Gatrie's bad habits are rubbing off on you?"

"If it's such a bad idea, then why are you grinning so much? By the way, I heard some sort of commotion up there. What was that all about?"

"…Oh, that."

Elincia's smile curved downward as she was reminded of earlier events.

"Is everything okay?" Ike wondered, his earlier humor evaporating.

"Well, Ike, to be honest, you came at both a good _and_ bad time," Elincia explained. "See, Lucia and Geoffrey and I… All this trouble with the flu epidemic seems to be really grating on all of us. I got mad at Geoffrey for some things he said to me and I slapped him. Then after I went to my chambers, Lucia and I got into a fight about it and she stormed out…"

Again, Elincia remembered her harsh words to her foster-siblings, and this time the memory of her own harsh words and foolishness turned her stomach.

"Looking back," she continued, "I think he was just worried that I'd fall ill. I'm not going to leave while the people here are in danger, but hearing him say it just felt so…demeaning. I don't know if he really said what I thought he did, but I know I made things worse by losing my temper with him, and with Lucia when she told me I must've misunderstood him. Worse, I've tried to control this epidemic, but people just keep getting sick. Kieran's in the worst shape of them all, even. I just don't know what to do anymore…"

Elincia's tears, it seemed, had been spent; for her eyes were raw and red, but nary a drop escaped them. Ike, his gaze softly sympathetic, drew her into a gentle hug.

"Wow," he remarked when he could find his voice. "That's really awful. I'm sorry things are so hard."

Ike tightened his grip on Elincia while her head rested upon his shoulder.

"I wish I could just make this all go away," she murmured.

"I know," Ike replied, more than a hint of empathy in his tone. "But listen, I think I can help. I've got a little story for you. Not long after the Mad King's War ended, just before that incident with Arius happened, I got into it with Boyd. He'd accidentally started clubbing me in the head with the back of his axe. He did it over and over again during battle."

"Ouch. Really?"

"Yep. And it hurt like hell alright. As you can imagine, we got quite upset with each other and started fighting a lot. It later turned out that Boyd was jealous of me. He thought I had it too good, because I became commander so soon and because he knew you liked me. Heck, everybody knew before I did."

Though Elincia never agreed with Ike's self-depreciating humor, it could still coax an illicit laugh out of her nonetheless. And, she'd always enjoyed recalling the events where they had, at long last, become a couple.

"I didn't realize it until a bit later," Ike went on, "but, I was getting upset because I missed you, even though I didn't know it at the time."

"I see…" Elincia said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"What I'm saying is, there could be more behind all of your frustration than just this epidemic. What you're telling me, that you've been losing your temper, that Geoffrey's hurting you, accidentally or not, and that you and Lucia have been arguing, that all sounds pretty out of character for you three. It reminded me of what went on between me and Boyd, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't just "get better." I think that, if all three of you can talk about what's going on and listen to one another, things can get so much better. Titania and Oscar spoke with Boyd and I, and it really helped us to realize and understand our problems."

"Wow… You know, I think you're absolutely right. I've also been a little upset because Titania and Lucia keep lecturing us about how we're handling our relationship, not to mention that we get so little time together. Lucia _could_ just be really worried about us, and Geoffrey…I'm not sure, but maybe he really was just worried that I'd get sick and he didn't want that to happen. I don't know, but I do think I owe him, and Lucia, an apology for how I acted."

"Sounds like they need to do that same for you, but you've got the idea."

"I'm glad. Now that I think about it, Geoffrey did want to say something else to me earlier today, but he chose to wait until another time. It sounded like it was really personal. Anyway, all three of us have been under a lot of pressure since my coronation, and I guess that this crisis just made us finally snap."

"Huh, I see. And probably. Just remember what I said, and what _you_ said too, and I'm sure you three will be thick as thieves again."

"That's an ironic choice of words coming from someone who just broke into the royal castle. But, yeah, I definitely will. Thank you so much, Ike. I love you more than ever now…"

"You're very welcome. And I love you too."

The two passed a few more blissful moments, kissing and caressing, but then a distant voice reaching Elincia's ears. She couldn't make out all of the words, but she heard the gruff voice of a guard muttering the phrases "shift change" and "past midnight." Elincia gasped, realizing just how much time the two had spent together.

"Oh!" she cried, jumping away from Ike's shoulder. "Ike, we've been out here too long! Oh dear, Lucia will kill me if she finds out about this…"

Elincia quickly rose and pulled her nightgown back up.

"Oh, right," Ike conceded, abashment painting his features once more. "Sorry about that. If she does make a fuss, tell her it's my fault."

"I can try. Ike, you have to get your clothes and leave now. Since it's night, and nearly everyone is making sure those who are ill stay put, there shouldn't be as many guards out now. But I swear, if you get caught…"

"Oh don't worry, I won't let that happen. I can slip back out the way I got in. And I'll put the stones back in place, in case anybody in here gets stir-crazy. You should probably go get some sleep too, but are you going to be alright?"

"Of course I will, now that I've had you to comfort me. I feel much better now and, between that and a good night's sleep, I know I can keep going. You just make sure that if you end up taking this flu back home, you keep it inside the fort."

"Okay. But, what if I'm _not _sick? There has to be something I can do to help."

"Actually, there might be. We know how the flu got into the castle, but we still need to find out where it came from. Bastian was in Melior when the illness struck, so he'll be investigating the flu, once we figure out where he should go. If you and the other mercenaries are well, and _only_ if you're well, then he might need you to aid him. I have every confidence you'd be a big help with Bastian's investigation."

"Heh, I'm glad. And you can definitely count that."

"Good."

Ike then grabbed his clothes and swooped in on Elincia for a final good night kiss.

"Sleep well, my love," he said.

"You too," Elincia whispered happily. "Now, please go."

Ike nodded and with that, they parted. Elincia listened to the rapid crunch of Ike's boots over the grass, followed by the sound of stone grating against stone, and then she hurried back into the castle. Once again, she hoped to the goddess that none of the guards or anyone else would see her. Her luck held true and she breathed a sigh of relief. That is, until she ran headlong into Lucia once again on her way up the stairs. And the swordmaster still did not look very pleased. In fact, she seemed to be even more agitated than before. Elincia then made a miserable attempt to smile genuinely.

"Oh, hi…Lucia," she greeted nervously.

"Your majesty, I thought you would be sleeping by now," Lucia replied. "Why are you down here in your nightgown? Your hair is a little messed up too. And are those…pieces of tree bark stuck in it at the nape of your neck?"

Elincia's eyes widened as she felt the length of hair reaching past her shoulders. She cringed and blushed when she realized that Lucia was right; some pieces of tree bark had gotten caught in her emerald tresses.

"Uh…er…um…well…" she stuttered.

"What on earth have you been doing?" Lucia wondered, her tone becoming stern. "Were you outside?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"…Ike was out there, wasn't he?"

Now Elincia was, to coin some less-than-royal terminology, busted.

"Well…yeah. He was. But I didn't ask him to come! He surprised me!"

Lucia sighed and brought her hands to her hips.

"What are Titania and I going to do with you two? Is he still here?"

"No, I told him to leave."

Rather than adopt an expression instantly recognizable by any parent with a trouble-prone child, Lucia's expression went slack and she blanched like a sick heron.

"…That might have been a bad idea, your majesty," she intoned, her voice almost quavering. "He could be carrying that flu to the Greil Mercenaries' fort, or who knows where else, as we speak!"

"I know, " Elincia replied, though Lucia's expression seemed to silently contradict her. "I warned him about that! He knows he's taking that risk."

Some colors returned to Lucia's face, but none of them were terribly pleasant.

"Perhaps we should tell the doctor that Ike was here," the swordmaster suggested. "He might know more than us about whether or not Ike should be brought back here, or whatever else might need to be done if Ike is now ill."

"You could be right," Elincia conceded, though she shook her head a moment later. "But, that might raise some awkward questions about how he got in and why he was here. And, besides, that poor man has enough on his mind already, what with all these patients. I think it best if we send use our messenger birds to send word to Ike, telling him what to do if he does fall ill."

"I'd feel better sending instructions to Bastian instead, telling him to have Ike dragged back here by his heels."

"Lucia!"

"I know you don't want to hear me say this, but I feel I have to. Breaking into a quarantined site and then walking right back out? I've seen some irresponsible men do some irresponsible things in my time, but this tops the list!"

"Ike didn't have any idea what was going on when he came! I had to tell him everything. Now that he knows, I believe he'll make good on his word to act appropriately if he is infected. He assured me he would."

"Well, I certainly hope you're right. And, that you two didn't go too far out there."

"We had a little private time," Elincia remarked in a dreamy tone; though, when she saw Lucia's stern expression become a scowl, she hastily added, "but no, absolutely not."

"Fine then. How did he even get in anyway?"

"Ah, he told me about that…"

Elincia then repeated Ike's story about his and Soren's escapade. Lucia merely shook her head, seemingly unable to decide if she was amused or incensed.

"Wow, I've heard of silly in love, but that's just plain dumb," she commented.

"Yeah, Ike's a fiend alright. But he's a lovable one," Elincia countered.

"I bet he is. Oh, by the way, your majesty. I spoke with Geoffrey. You were right, he was out of line earlier. He told me exactly what he said and I wasn't pleased with it either. I can't believe that he of all people would even think such things. I can understand him thinking that it's too dangerous for you to be here, but he should know better than to think you'd run and hide during such an emergency. Besides, even if that advice was worth taking, doing so might reveal the epidemic to the public. People would panic, and…_certain people_…would use this, and your leaving, against you. Oh, and the left side of Geoffrey's face is pretty bruised up, by the way."

"Oh, good, I'm glad you realized that I couldn't accept what he told me; even if his argument was well-intended. And, I didn't mean to hit him that hard…"

"Yeah, well, that still doesn't mean I think it was okay for you to slap him around like that. He is as much your advisor as the head of your knights. And, the next time he gives you advice that you don't want to hear, he might be right."

"…I thought so. But can we discuss this another time? I think we all need to talk anyway, but it would be best if we did so in the morning. I think we need a little time to cool our tempers beforehand."

"That, I can agree on. And I'll let Geoffrey know first thing."

"Thanks. Well, I'm going to bed; and for real this time. Good night, I guess."

"'Night."

With that, Elincia continued back towards her bedchambers. At least some good things came out of this night. Impossible though it had seemed, Ike was able find his way to her side after all; and, they'd even been able to enjoy a rather intense and intimate moment, despite their present difficulties. What's more, he had given her the perfect advice on how to deal with the sudden conflict that had broken out between her, Lucia, and Geoffrey. And, luckily, Lucia had already agreed that the three would have a talk first thing in the morning to try and resolve the tensions. Hopefully now, things would finally change for the better.


	16. An Ultimate Challenge: Part 3

Part 3: Elincia's Battle

Though Elincia had found some solace in her lover's daring, if foolish, entry into the stricken castle, others saw the night pass joylessly and with grating languidness. The next morning saw Lucia rise with the dawn, the sun just barely peering over the horizon and driving away the shadows of night. An errant sunbeam lanced through the open window to stab at one lidded eye, causing her to stir. Though Lucia usually enjoyed watching the sunrise, if she could rise early enough, her only response to the beauteous dawn was a grimace. With the castle still under quarantine, the dawning of a new day served only to remind those within the stricken castle of their imprisonment. This further soured Lucia's mood since, due to the previous day's events, she'd barely slept a wink. And frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if many others suffered the same.

_Well, except for Elincia,_ she mused, the barest hint of a grin crossing her weary features.

The Crimean queen at least conveniently had Ike to while away her evening and take her mind off of her problems. Granted, Lucia was still worried that Ike's visit might have other, far less benign consequences. However, though perhaps more out of fatigue than a sudden feeling of trust for the unpredictable mercenary, she decided to accept Elincia's argument that Ike knew what to do if he were infected. Either way, the queen was probably sleeping more peacefully than she had in days… though, Lucia wasn't sure if she ought to snicker or cringe at what Elincia's dreams most likely entailed.

Nonetheless, Lucia decided that the queen had earned a few more hours of peace and that, since the swordmaster would likely find no rest herself, she decided it was best to rise from her bed. Shoving aside the covers, she vaulted to her feet and, shivering slightly from the cool air of early dawn and the cold marble underfoot, made her way to the small vanity. Cringing slightly at the disheveled condition of her long, blue hair and the dark smudge beneath her eyes, she snatched up a brush and began pulling it through her aqua tresses. As she did so, she idly glanced out the window a second time. The sun was still slowly climbing the steadily brightening dome of the sky; like as not, the time couldn't be later than five bells. Still, given the situation, she decided that being up at the crack of dawn wasn't such a bad idea. It would allow her and the others to get an early start at resuming their efforts to control, and ultimately cure, the flu epidemic. It also meant that Elincia, Lucia, and Geoffrey could have their planned talk in private while the servants, maids, and everybody else were still asleep.

That train of thought, however, led to another, which drew the corners of her mouth downward.

Though Lucia could understand that there was no ill intent behind Geoffrey's suggestion that Elincia leave the castle, she had nonetheless been incensed with her younger brother. Even if he'd meant well by giving such advice, Lucia was only too aware that, if Elincia _did_ flee the castle during such an emergency, there were more than a few others who would twist such an act to their own advantage and use it against the queen.

Still, the swordmaster hadn't yet excused Elincia for losing her temper and slapping Geoffrey around either.

_I guess we _do_ need to talk things out,_ she mused. _In all the years we've known each other, we've never argued like this._

Indeed, it was most unusual for the three to squabble. Granted, Lucia, Geoffrey and Elincia had been close ever since they were small, and it was inevitable that there had been more than a few disagreements in such a span of time. Yet, these instances had been few and far between; and, none had ever spiraled out of control like this latest schism. What's more, something else had been tickling at the back of Lucia's mind ever since she'd confronted Geoffrey. Her younger brother had always been forthright and honest with her; yet, when she'd asked him about what had sparked Elincia's outburst, he'd seemed strangely unwilling to meet her gaze.

Somehow, Lucia could not help but suspect that there was more than just simple embarrassment behind that odd behavior.

Lucia had almost brushed aside the notion as caused by her nerves getting the best of her.

Almost.

Still, the swordmaster also knew that divining her brother's strange abashment might prove to be a distraction that she could ill-afford. After all, though the present crisis was, by necessity, her foremost concern, it was not the only matter weighing on her mind.

What might be going on beyond the walls of the stricken castle?

Crimea was still in the midst of a tumultuous transition, rebuilding her lands and cementing her newfound ties with the laguz nations. Yet, there was no shortage of anxiety and opposition to these unprecedented undertakings.

With Elincia effectively indisposed, had these labors ground to a halt? Or, worse, unraveled altogether?

There were more than a few amongst the nobles who, if they'd realized that Elincia wasn't going to appear to douse any more brushfires, might decide to take advantage of the situation.

She rattled her skull, trying vainly to dispel the grim notion, but it sank hooked talons of icy dread into her brain and clung with insidious tenacity.

At this, Lucia spat an impressive collection of decidedly unladylike remarks at anything and anyone even remotely related to these present misfortunes. She excluded Bastian from this tirade since he, for once, was contributing to solving a problem rather than creating one.

_There really _is_ a first time for everything!_ she mused. _But, if he wants me to give him anything more intimate than a handshake in return, he's a dead man._

With a curious sound, as though the swordmaster had snickered and groaned in the same breath, she rose and quickly donned her white robes, buckled her sheathed silver sword and belt to her waist, and departed her bedchambers. As she passed through the doorway, she faintly heard the distant bell tower in Melior. Despite the distance, she could discern from the echoes that it had rung five times. Even though it was barely past sunrise, she hoped the others wouldn't mind getting started so early. Like as not, even if they'd gotten as little sleep as she had, this would prove to be a long and trying day.

Since Elincia was probably the only one in the castle to be enjoying her sleep, and very likely dreaming about Ike in fashions the swordmaster was reluctant to contemplate, Lucia chose to seek out Geoffrey first. The queen also likely needed the rest, as the current crisis had taken a toll on her, leaving the queen physically and emotionally drained before Ike had arrived to console her. Besides, Lucia also knew that, being a knight, Geoffrey was accustomed to rising early when urgent matters presented themselves at odd hours. Granted, her younger brother had never been fond of that particular aspect of his vocation; but, since it was to talk with Elincia, Lucia suspected Geoffrey wouldn't object.

Whatever had been the underlying cause of the schism between Elincia, Geoffrey, and herself, she dearly hoped that they could reconcile quickly and peacefully.

Though, once more, she recalled Geoffrey's odd reticence to disclose what had gone on between him and Elincia.

With a whispered, unflattering remark about the male half of the beorc race, the swordmaster shrugged her shoulders and pressed on. Lucia's chambers were near her brother's, so it didn't take long for her to reach his door. She paused and heaved a sigh before grasping the handle and gently opening the door a crack, so as not to disturb those who might still be asleep in the neighboring rooms. She called out to her brother in a soft, but insistent whisper. However, rather than Geoffrey's usual unintelligible grumbling, followed by him muttering "need coffee badly," her call was greeted only by silence. Perplexed, and suddenly worried, the swordmaster silently padded into the room.

The sight that she beheld drew her up short and punched a gasp from her lungs.

Sprawled out on the floor next to the coffee table was the crumpled form of Geoffrey.

"AAAAH!" Lucia shrieked, the horror of seeing her brother in this sending her normally calm mind into a tumult. Lucia quickly rushed over and knelt at Geoffrey's side. With a mighty heave, she flipped Geoffrey onto his back and frantically began shaking his prone form, belatedly noticing the large pool of blood beneath his head. A deep gash had been cloven into his skull, blood oozing from the wound in a tangle of rivulets. Some of his hair was stained in crimson, and the portion of his face that Lucia could see was fleshed in pink aside from the massive blue, brown, and purple bruise that had resulted from Elincia slapping him.

Geoffrey's eyes were closed, and he did not stir.

Panic and despair mingled in Lucia's gut as she brought two trembling fingers to her brother's neck. However, when the beating of his heart greeted her, she felt her own heart unclench. Geoffrey was alive, but his pulse was fairly weak, likely due to the blood loss. Seeing that the gash still leaked crimson, Lucia pressed down upon the wound, hoping the pressure would slow the bleeding until help arrived. However, sticky redness continued to leak out from between her fingers, and she frantically began looking around the room for something, _anything_, that might staunch her brother's wound. Luckily, she spied a washcloth lying next to her brother's prone form. She snatched it up and pressed it to the gash in Geoffrey's skull as hard as she could. Slowly, but surely, the trickling rivulets of crimson grew fewer and she felt the weak pulse of life in her brother's neck regain a small measure of strength. The swordmaster heaved a sigh of relief, and then began to wonder what had happened.

Whatever had occurred must've happened last night, as Geoffrey was still wearing his nightclothes and his bedding showed signs of recent use. Could someone, maybe a clever and cunning assassin who had turned the present crisis into an opportunity, or a castle resident who'd let their fear of the epidemic drive them to violence, have attacked her brother? At first, it seemed doubtful. Aside from Geoffrey's prone form, there was no sign of a struggle, and, since her chambers were so close, Lucia would've heard a scuffle. Yet, even if this assailant had taken the paladin entirely by surprise, surely her brother would have at least been able to raise an alarm…

…Unless, though Lucia shuddered to even consider the notion, Geoffrey had done this to himself.

Even pondering it left her choking on tears, but she knew she could not dismiss the possibility. Though the practice had fallen out of favor in recent years, it was not unheard-of for knights who were mortally wounded, hopelessly ill, or broken in spirit to take their own lives. Between the present crisis, and the incident with Elincia, could her brother have been driven to suicide? With a defiant shake of her head, Lucia began to scan the room for anything that might prove different.

That's when she saw the coffee table again. More blood stained the corner nearest to the fallen Geoffrey's head, the wood taking on an angular shape upon which clung stray bits of aqua colored scalp.

_Hardly the preferred means for someone to do himself in,_ Lucia mused, feeling a modicum of relief that this seemed to argue against her brother becoming suicidal.

She found herself wondering if her theory about Geoffrey being attacked might've been correct after all. An assassin likely would not have left his victim alive; however, that left other possibilities. With so many people crammed into the stricken castle, effectively imprisoned inside until the epidemic had ended, perhaps someone amongst their number had confronted Geoffrey in hopes of making some appeal.

Perhaps the argument had turned heated, and then violent?

It might explain why the paladin was still alive, for whoever confronted him might've panicked and fled when they realized what they'd done.

However, when she remembered the pink hue the knight's face had taken, Lucia blanched and gasped. She tentatively brought her hand to his forehead, only to snatch it away immediately. Geoffrey was burning up, his skin damp with perspiration and yet as hot as a burning candle. Undoubtedly, the paladin had fallen ill.

Belatedly, Lucia realized that Geoffrey's body was facing opposite from his bathroom door. The door was ajar, and a decidedly unpleasant aroma wafted through the crack. She immediately put two and two together and figured out what had most likely occurred. Geoffrey must've become infected sometime the day before, and woke up in the middle of the night as the nausea had struck. He likely emptied his stomach, into everything _but_ the chamber pot judging by the smell, and then lost his balance and fell over before he could make it back to his bed. As a result, he smashed his head against the corner of the coffee table so hard that the blow had pierced his flesh and knocked him out cold. As for how he'd contracted the dreaded flu, it had likely occurred either when he'd visited Kieran, or while he was rounding up the sick the day before.

Again nursing unflattering thoughts about the male half of the beorc race, Lucia lifted the towel, intending to quickly inspect the wound. No sooner had she done so, however, than the blood flowed anew and her brother's pulse wavered. Geoffrey still showed no signs of waking and, aside from the pinkish hue of fever, he seemed very pale.

Deathly pale.

"Geoffrey! Geoffrey! Please, wake up!" Lucia pleaded, shaking her brother's shoulder. "GEOFFREY!"

Though Lucia hadn't noticed amidst her fright, her earlier shriek and her frantic shouting had begun to echo through the corridors outside. A maid, who'd heard the din, had come to the door and peered inside.

"Lady Lucia, are you—OH GOOD HEAVENS!" the maid cried when she saw Geoffrey's bloodied head. "What happened to General Geoffrey?! Is he…dead?!"

"Oh!" Lucia gasped, startled by the sudden intrusion as she whirled around and spied the woman. "No, he's alive, but he might not have much time! Go get Queen Elincia and ask her to bring a strong healing staff with her! Quickly!"

"Oh, of course, milady!"

With that, the maid rushed out of the room.

Meanwhile, as Lucia had earlier surmised, Elincia herself still dozed in her bedchambers, an excited smile on her face. And, as Lucia had also surmised, she was the only one enjoying her rest…to put it mildly. Much like last night, Elincia moaned lustily as she rolled around under her covers, sometimes arching her back and craning her head to expose the swan-like shapeliness of her neck. One of the straps of her nightgown had slipped free of her shoulder, the garment askew and only barely keeping her breasts covered. Her moaning soon became punctuated gasping, taking on the sort of pitch that would be expected if Ike were there with her and tantalizing her senses with his touch again. And, in a sense, he actually was. As Elincia slept, images danced upon the lids of her eyes. She saw herself and her brawny lover, intertwined together upon her large bed, kissing and caressing beneath the heavy sheets, and with no one daring to disturb them or to protest. She could see her lover now; his untamable azure hair, his beautiful storm blue eyes, his chiseled features, and his muscular form…

…which was as bare as the day he was born.

And, when his strong, and yet gentle, hands began to traces paths up and down her torso, Elincia realized that she was completely undressed as well.

Being indelibly modest and shy, Elincia felt the blood flow to her cheeks at this discovery. However, Ike promptly shattered her mortification with a long, probing kiss.

Despite the calluses that a lifetime of swordplay had put on his hands, her love's fingers felt as soft as silk against her comparatively tiny form. One hand caressed the delicate flesh of her inner thigh while another fondled her breast, kneading the supple mound and sending the young queen into a daze of euphoria.

Not to be outdone, Elincia lurched forward and snatched one of his hands, tracing her lips over the broad palm and then blazing a trail up his massive forearm and to the hard domes of his bicep. Ike wavered a moment, his eyes rolling heavenward as his barrel chest heaving gasps and grunts of pleasure.

Ever quick to retaliate, Ike took control of his hand and brought Elincia in close, lavishing her neck and collarbone with kisses while she leaned in so far that her bosom ground against his torso. Her hot breath echoed in the hallow of his ear while he settled himself between her now spread thighs. His hips suddenly rocked forward, and she felt something bury itself deep within her.

The impact was a blast of white fire that seared into her innermost being like a bolt of lightning.

And, she loved it.

Her head lolled backward, her eyes bulging in their sockets as she arched her back and her chest heaved one ragged breath after another. She could hear Ike grunting and straining, almost as much as he did when in the midst of pitched battle, and the white fire burned with every greater intensity.

And, several minutes later, a scream of ecstasy tore itself free from Elincia's throat. She thrashed for a few moments, moaning and screeching in mingled pain and delight, until her breath was spent and her eyes fluttered open. She sat up moments later, breathing hard and her cheeks flushed and a deep, red giggle escaping her lips. This was hardly the first time Elincia had dreamed about Ike, but this one was far, _far_ more intense than any that had come before. They'd made love right there in the royal bedchambers, finally free of the entanglement of propriety, and politics, and conflicting obligations, and concern about what unfriendly ears might catch wind of them, and all other such nonsense. It had been, for a precious moment, just the two of them and the love and desire they shared, pent up like a river in flood and refusing to be contained any longer.

_Speaking of contained,_ Elincia mused, checking the sheets for any incriminating stains.

Luckily, the white sheets were still pristine…aside from a rather copious amount of perspiration. Still, she was relieved that the laundresses would not discover cause to begin gossiping about who might've claimed the, unwed, queen's maidenhood…and, she was all the more delighted that it remained for her beloved mercenary to claim.

Yet, even though the dream that Ike had already done so was only that, it made Elincia happy. She and Ike might be barred from indulging in such fantasies in the waking world, but no one could stop them from dreaming about going further.

She recalled, for what must've been the thousandth time, yet felt only like the first, how Ike had described the notion of raising a family with her as "appealing."

Even though neither of the young lovers knew how to make that dream a reality, they had resolved to try nonetheless. And, in the meantime, there were no limits to where their flights of fancy could take either of them.

These thoughts caused a lazy grin to tug at the corners of the queen's mouth as she slipped into a blissful trance, images of the life she so desired winging through her mind. Elincia was so wrapped in her fantasies that it took her a moment to realize that someone was frantically pounding at her door.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!" a female voice called from the other side, her tone one of urgency verging on panic. "Please wake up! It's an emergency!"

"Huh?!" Elincia gasped when she finally snapped back to reality. Still a bit addled by the haze of longing that had overwhelmed her senses earlier, the young queen incredulously forced herself to concentrate. A moment later, she recognized the still clamoring voice as that of one of the castle maids.

"Ugh, why would a maid come banging on my door at five in the morning?" Elincia wondered, begrudgingly amazed at how things seem to _always_ come crashing down around her ears after thoughts of Ike had cheered her up. "She's probably just going to tell me that more people are ill…"

Though she said these words through grit teeth and with a hard tone, she inwardly chided herself a moment later. What would Ike have said if he'd heard such a sentiment? Her beloved mercenary had always put the well-being of others, be they his friends, or those who depended upon his leadership, or even complete strangers, before his own. And, though Elincia was uniquely aware of how heavily such a burden had weighed upon her love, she also knew better than most that he had borne it uncomplainingly, and with humility and grace.

Now, with the people of her castle effectively prisoners in their own home, and being struck down, one-by-one, by a terrible illness, she was wailing over a wet dream being cut short?

_Ike would've been disgusted with that,_ she mused, but her moment's desolation quickly melted away and was replaced with cool determination. _Well, he always managed to turn around a bad situation. It's time I did the same._

With that, Elincia leaped out of bed, pulled up the loose strap of her nightgown, and approached her door. She flung it open to find a panicking maid braced against the frame, gasping for air and clutching at her heart, as if she had been running the length of the castle.

"What's so urgent to make you come to my door; and at this hour, no less?" Elincia inquired. "If more people are ill, ensure that they're confined to their rooms. In the meantime, I'm doing my best to find a remedy."

"N-No, no, it's not that! I apologize, your majesty," the maid wheezed. "Lady Lucia sent me. It's General Geoffrey! He's dying!"

A moment ago, Elincia had been balanced and centered; buoyed by her earlier determination and the lingering happiness of her dreamed tryst with Ike. Yet, the force of those five words had let her adrift in a sea of icy terror.

"WHAT?!" Elincia shrieked, her body beginning to tremble.

"Lady Lucia found him on the floor in his room with his head bashed in and his wound only keeps bleeding! You've got to bring a powerful healing staff over right away! And we need to call some doctors!"

"B-But what happened?!"

"I'm not sure! Lady Lucia just told me to get you and ask that you bring a healing staff!"

"Well, don't worry, I'm on it! I'll have her tell me what's going on, after Geoffrey is well again. You go and get the doctors!"

"Understood!"

With that, the maid rushed off again and Elincia quickly ducked back into her chambers. She raced towards an armoire where she kept her armor and other gear and hurriedly rummaged through it for a strong healing staff. She found a Mend staff within seconds, snatched it up, and quickly rushed out of her bedchambers. She crossed the threshold at a run, the door banging against the wall and standing open behind her. Racing as fast as she could, ignoring the chill of the marble beneath her feet, she sprinted toward Geoffrey's chambers. Despite her mad dash, Elincia couldn't help but worriedly wonder what had happened to the general.

Geoffrey had been the closest thing she'd had to an older brother for as long as she could remember…and, what's more, she was one of the tiny handful of people who knew what was hidden beneath the paladin's armor.

As a child, Geoffrey had been deeply troubled. He'd long been prone to bouts of depression and afflictions of the mind, including a variety of terrible, recurring nightmares. These afflictions had only been made worse when other children belittled him as being a coward or a "loony." At one time, Geoffrey's mental state had deteriorated so badly that he'd started having seizures, and a doctor had to practically move in so that the tortured boy could be fully treated.

Once Geoffrey had seemed to recover, he'd vowed never to be weak again. He'd begun training to become a knight, with a manic energy that even Kieran could be impressed with, and had seemed to all the world as though he'd ground his inner demons to dust beneath his heel…

…of course, those who had actually _seen_ the suffering of his youth, including Elincia, always feared that those demons had not been slain, but were only biding their time.

Had they emerged once again, triggering another breakdown without anyone knowing?

The paladin _had_ just received a terrible rebuke from Elincia the night before, and while he was watching helplessly as people around him fell ill. Could that have broken through the deceptive facade of strength that he wore all hours? However, Elincia had a hard time believing that one instance of upsetting her would really cause Geoffrey to suffer that much. Even if it had, Lucia would have noticed when she'd confronted him. She knew as well as Elincia, if not more so, to be on the alert for any warning signs.

Unfortunately, this train of thought led to another; and, one even worse. Could an assassin have somehow made his way into the castle, seeking Geoffrey's death? The paladin had no shortage of enemies, between his rivals amongst the nobility and the bandits and pirates who terrorized the countryside, more than a few of whom had encountered Geoffrey and came away much the worse. And, an assassination in the midst of an epidemic would give the culprit an excellent cover story by which to disguise the deed.

She considered, but then discarded the notion. Aside from the fact that Geoffrey was still alive, something that an even vaguely competent assassin would never overlook, how would he have gotten in with the castle's security so tight? She then found herself contemplating another version of events. Could someone within the castle have done this deed…but, perhaps, without unintentionally? Maybe someone in the castle had hoped to entreat Geoffrey for his aid in escaping the epidemic's grasp, and things had turned violent when Geoffrey refused to oblige?

Elincia could already think of several nobles who might've taken it into their heads to sneak out of the quarantined castle. But, none of them struck her as being strong enough to prevail over a seasoned paladin like Geoffrey, even if they had the backbone to try it and managed to take him by surprise.

Then, her train of thought veered down a new course…one which chilled her to the bone.

There was one person she did know could overpower Geoffrey…and who could get in easily, despite the tightened security…

…after all, he had done so just last night.

"Ike?" Elincia gasped, her voice choked to a tiny, fearful whisper than even she had trouble hearing.

Ike had managed to get into the castle; and, fairly easily, judging from his story about Soren's diversion. Elincia shook her head, trying vainly to banish the dread musing. But, amidst the struggle, a fresh terror stirred to life in her blood.

Not only could Ike have done this, but he had a reason to.

Elincia had told him about how Geoffrey had offended her earlier that night. And, it was obvious that her beloved mercenary had been most displeased at Geoffrey's planned role in Lucia's plan, in case their love affair left the young queen pregnant out-of-wedlock.

Could Ike have actually become enraged enough that he had remained in the castle grounds, waiting until she was out of sight, and then rushed inside the castle itself to bash the general's brains in? _No… Impossible,_ Elincia denied in her mind. _Ike would never… He knows Geoffrey is like __an older brother to me. And, he was the one who suggested how Geoffrey, Lucia and I ought to reconcile this falling out we've had. He wouldn't have done this, it's not in his character._

And, indeed, she realized that it wasn't. Ike did have a fast temper, and a reputation for being impulsive. But, he'd never let it drive him to such violence. Even the mob at Toha's turning on him to curry Daein's favor, the mocking Apostle's humiliating machinations in Begnion, the Talregans spitting in his face when he'd offered them food after the opening of the floodgates had wiped out their crops, and even Nasir's seeming treachery had never caused Ike to turn his blade towards dishonorable uses.

_I really __have__ gotten too used to peering past every face for an ulterior motive_, Elincia mused, almost disgusted with herself for thinking her love might've resorted to such a shameful deed. Something else must've happened. Something I haven't considered… Elincia continued trying to wrack her brain for some inkling of what that "something" might be, but no sudden epiphanies rose above the fear for her surrogate brother's life. Frustrated, she shook offthese thoughts as she hurriedly continued to Geoffrey's chambers. Whatever had occurred, there must not have been much noise, if any, as apparently no one had woken up to the incident during the night.

Since her chambers and Geoffrey's were on opposite sides of the castle, it took the queen a little while to get there. Still, Elincia's worry drove her to run faster and faster, and she stumbled and nearly fell over a few times amidst her headlong rush. She arrived at Geoffrey's door, panting heavily from exertion and having to lean on the staff to keep upright. Elincia quickly barged in, hoping she wasn't too late to help save her milk brother. What she saw stunned her as much as it had Lucia. The sight of the blue-haired swordmaster with Geoffrey's head cradled in her lap, futilely pressing a bloody towel against a terrible gash near the back of his head on the right side, left Elincia stunned with horror. Geoffrey was still in a limp sprawl, amidst a pool of blood which covered the floor beneath him and his sister, and showing no hint of waking. And as Lucia had described the previous night, the left side of Geoffrey's face was covered with a large, ugly bruise. Yet, this damage was paltry in comparison with the wound in his head which, in defiance of Lucia's ministrations, wept rivulets of life fluid.

"OH MY GODDESS!" Elincia cried in horror, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly knelt by Lucia's side to try to help her.

"Queen Elincia! I'm so glad you made it here!" Lucia greeted, her voice betraying her worry for the stricken paladin. "Did you send for some doctors as well?"

"Yes, but just look at all this blood! We can't afford to wait. We must do what we can for Geoffrey right now!" Elincia insisted, angling her staff so that its orb hovered above Geoffrey's prone form. The staff's orb flared, bathing the paladin's skull with pale light. But, though the bleeding slowed, the wound seemed unaffected. Perplexed, Elincia labored to clear her mind, bringing all of her considerable healing gifts to bear. Yet, the ragged gash continued to yawn wide, as though silently laughing at her efforts.

"What happened?!" the queen asked, alarmed at this oddity…and, what it might portend.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I have a pretty good idea," Lucia replied. She then explained her theory that Geoffrey had fallen and slammed his head against the coffee table, due to the sudden onset of overwhelming fatigue characteristic of the illness.

"Oh dear!" Elincia murmured, sniffling.

She'd tried to force a sense of terror from her mind, bathing the paladin with the staff's healing powers until her brow streamed and the glow began to waver.

"This is even worse than I thought!" she intoned, near to sobbing, and her eyes pulsing wide as she noticed yet another cause for alarm. "And… Oh! I can't believe this!"

"W-What? What's the matter?" Lucia desperately wondered.

"I'm so stupid! I grabbed the wrong staff! This is a regular Heal staff, not a Mend staff! No wonder this wound isn't healing properly! A Heal staff is too weak for such a serious injury! UGH!"

"What?!" Lucia fumed angrily. "How could you make such a stupid mistake?! This is my little brother's _life_ at stake here!"

In a normal situation, though either woman would've been hard pressed to recall what "normal" was like, Elincia would have giggled at Lucia referring to Geoffrey as her "little" brother. She sometimes used the term to playfully tease him. Now, however, there was neither teasing nor mirth in Lucia's words.

She was simply being a desperate, older sister, wanting to save her dying brother.

And, the anger in that livid, aqua eye seemed to pierce Elincia's flimsy nightwear and stab her in the heart.

"Hey, I'm sorry!" Elincia choked out, her voice hoarse with despair. "Really! I must've been so scared and worried that I wasn't paying attention! Wouldn't you find it hard to think straight in a situation like this?!"

"…Well, yeah, I suppose," Lucia conceded, her expression softening by the barest degree. "But this is no time to argue. We still have to do something. Can't you go back and find a real Mend staff?"

Before Elincia could reply, however, the door burst open again, this time to reveal the same doctor who had advised the young queen the day before. Just behind him was the maid whom Lucia had sent to fetch Elincia, and both were carrying a wooden stretcher.

"That won't be necessary, your majesty. I can take it from here," he spoke up with the customary calm that Elincia now relied heavily upon. "But…good gravy! What on earth happened to General Geoffrey?!"

"Lucia thinks he fell ill during the night," Elincia replied. "And, that the exhaustion we've seen with this illness caused him to lose his balance and he struck his head against the table as he fell. But are you sure I shouldn't go get my Mend staff?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure. We need to get the general down to the infirmary immediately. He can't be treated here if he's ill," the doctor pointed out. "And Lady Lucia, you best wash up so none of that blood all over you causes you to fall ill as well."

"Ah, yes, you're right. I just didn't want to leave my poor brother bleeding out his life on the floor."

"I understand, but we must be quick. We still don't know how fast this flu works, but what evidence we have tells us that it can spread quickly. Also, I think it would be prudent if you fetched a pail of water and an extra towel or two as well. We don't want to leave a trail of blood on our way down. The others' nerves are frayed badly as it is, and we don't need them to them sent into a full-blown panic."

At these words, the doctor's eyes seemed to darken with worry, betraying the illusion of his seeming calm. The maid, meanwhile, gulped nervously and seemed to tremble.

Elincia felt a knot of dread form in her stomach, but she nonetheless found the voice to ask the dreaded question.

"How bad _is_ it?"

The doctor did not answer immediately. He seemed as if to ponder how much he ought to say, but then heaved a sigh of weary resignation.

"Bad," he reported. "Very bad. Apparently, there were…a number of incidents last night. Many others have contracted the flu, including most of the servants. And, amidst the influx of new patients, all of the other doctors have fallen ill as well."

"Oh, Ashera preserve us," Elincia whispered, feeling that knot of dread tighten with each passing moment.

"I'm afraid the news I have is even worse," the maid added. "I met with a fellow maid so she could gather a group to prepare another infirmary room for General Geoffrey, but she told me that there are only four of us who are still well."

"…Oh. Oh no…"

"What?!" Lucia cut in. "How did this happen?!"

"From what she told me," the maid continued, "some of the castle staff decided to try and escape. Some of them stole satchels of gold from the treasury, to try and bribe the guards into letting them out. And, others tried to scale the walls, or sneak out through the waste tunnels. They were all caught, but some of them must've been infected. The infirmary was crammed full by midnight."

"…But… How…? How could I let this happen?" Elincia wondered, tears forming in her eyes once more.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, your majesty," the doctor insisted. "There's no shortage of people who are at fault for not foreseeing that some in the castle might panic in such a crisis. What's more, it is likely that either not everyone was informed of this flu in time or some people didn't realize they were infected at all until it was too late. Be that as it may, our only chance is to find some way to treat this flu while there's still some time left."

For a stretching second, the doctor's words reached Elincia only as a faint, unintelligible buzz. The knot of dread in her guts tightened so much, that she could barely draw a breath. Her head spun, her vision wavered, and she suddenly found herself wondering if she might be falling ill as well…

…which, given the disaster unfolding before her, almost sounded appealing.

_Get a hold of yourself!_ she inwardly bellowed. _What would Ike do in such a situation?_

Whatever that might be, she was certain that breaking down into hysterics would most definitely _not_ be her love's tactic of choice. She forced in a long breath, nearly choking on it, and forced her pounding heart to slow.

In the stretching second that followed, she felt the knot of dread in her guts begin to slacken. Only slightly, but enough for her to regain her senses.

Appealing though the notion was, she could not afford to wait for Ike to charge in and save the day. This time, that duty fell upon Elincia's fragile shoulders.

She took another deep breath to steady her nerves and intoned "Yes, of course."

With that, Lucia rushed to Geoffrey's bathroom while the doctor rummaged through Geoffrey's armor rack and produced sets of chainmail and leather gloves for the maid and Elincia, warning them to avoid touching the general directly. After the doctor himself removed a set of gloves from his belt and slipped them on, the three then hauled Geoffrey onto the stretcher. Once he was in place, they took a moment to ensure that none of his limbs would slide off and that his head was still cushioned upon the bloody towel Lucia had been using.

"I still feel like I could've done more to prevent this crisis from escalating to this point," Elincia remarked, though she raised a hand to forestall any argument. "But, I can figure that out _after _we get through this. In the meantime, we still need to do something to bring this flu under control. If this keeps up, it could strike all of us, or even begin killing people. How are our stocks of medicine?"

"We have plenty," the doctor replied; but, again, his eyes betrayed a hint of worry. "But, I fear it might not be enough. We've already given some of it to several patients; but, it seems that for every one who receives the medicine, three more fall ill. I highly doubt we have enough to treat every ill person now. We haven't had an epidemic of this scope in many years, perhaps not since the times of plague before vulneraries and healing staves were first created."

"Oh, I was afraid of that…" Elincia replied somberly, the doctor's words reminding the queen of her earlier reflection of that time…and, how it might yet occur again.

"But your majesty, there is some good news," the doctor continued. "Despite the events of last night, we _have_ managed to prevent the flu from escaping the castle. We did a head count just after three bells, and no one is missing. What's more, there haven't been any reports of people becoming afflicted by the same illness elsewhere in the country or in other nations."

"True…so far," Elincia agreed, reminding herself of Ike's short visit and departure. She, of course, had no way of knowing whether or not Ike had become infected during his brief visit. But, she knew that, despite her love's hearty constitution and strong resistance to illness, that she could not dismiss the possibility. The queen's fortunes in containing this illness could change soon, and, for the worse, if Ike wasn't careful. Elincia could only pray that she was doing the right thing by having faith in him.

"And I have a thought as to how we can keep it that way," the doctor added, shaking Elincia from her reverie. "It _does _entail some risk, however. We must have more medicine delivered to the castle, so that we can treat as many people as possible, and reassure everyone that we will get through this. Still, there are risks involved. We need to find a way to get the medicine in without causing everyone to stampede for the gates. What's more, there's the question of who will bring the medicine to us. Is there anyone besides Count Bastian that could handle this? He certainly can't do so by himself."

"Ah, yes, I know!" Elincia piped up. "Sir Ike and the Greil Mercenaries! They would be more than happy to help. It's still early though, and Geoffrey needs our help, so we'll send another messenger pigeon to them and Bastian later."

Elincia took care not to sound like a besotted schoolgirl at the idea of contacting Ike, but it was no easy task. Though Elincia loved Ike more than anything, she knew she always had to be careful to speak about him only in a dispassionate, business-like manner as best as she could when he came up in public conversations. This way, no one outside of the trusted circle who knew of their affair would grow suspicious of anything. The doctor, none the wiser, nodded his agreement.

Moments later, Lucia emerged from the bathroom. Though her robes were still stained with blood, her skin had been scrubbed clean…if a bit raw. She was also carrying a small bundle of towels. The swordmaster quickly handed them to the doctor, who then gently placed them underneath Geoffrey's still bleeding head.

"Lady Lucia, you should change out of those clothes as well," the doctor advised. "That blood could still infect you, and I rather doubt it would help anyone's peace of mind to see you wandering the halls like that."

"Ah, yes, you're right. I'll have to meet you all down in the infirmary later then," Lucia decided, an ironic and less-than-mirthful laugh escaping her lips. "And I just had these robes washed too… Oh well, it isn't Geoffrey's fault. But please take good care of my brother."

"You have my word, Lucia," Elincia replied, clasping her milk sister's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You know I'll do everything I can to save Geoffrey."

"That's true. I just hope you _can_ save him…"

"We'll do what we can, I promise," the doctor assured.

Lucia nodded and headed back towards her own chambers again. After she left, upon the doctor's instructions, the remaining trio lifted the stretcher upon which Geoffrey lay and carefully carried it out of the room. The group made their way down the corridor and, to Elincia's consternation the nearest staircase. Luckily, the doctor directed for Elincia and the maid to hold up the end where Geoffrey's feet rested while the doctor took the end where his head lay and directed the two women on how to tilt and angle the stretcher as they made their way down the stairs. The doctor reiterated several times that his unlikely assistants were to be as careful as possible, so that Geoffrey didn't end up falling off of the stretcher and plunging down the stairs. Aside from the doctor's advice, which was whispered, the journey passed in almost funereal silence; a metaphor Elincia prayed would not prove prophetic. If the others were already trying to break out of the castle, Elincia didn't want to create any further panic by causing people to think that the flu was beginning to kill people, or even that some assassin had managed to break in and attempt to bludgeon Geoffrey to death. It was bad enough that this flu was going around and that people were already growing frightened without adding a seemingly dead body to the mix.

Once the trio reached one of the examination rooms in the infirmary, Geoffrey was carefully laid upon the table inside. The bundle of towels remained underneath Geoffrey's head, but by now, they were so saturated with the general's blood that one could barely see the original color of the fabric beneath the sticky, dripping redness. Seeing this, the doctor cursed to himself, hoping to the goddess that whatever Lucia and Elincia had done was enough to give him the time he needed to treat Geoffrey before he bled to death. Even without a terrible illness stalking the castle, it would be a major blow to all of Crimea if they found out that one of their finest generals had died due to a horrible accident.

"Your majesty, it's best if you let the maid and I handle Geoffrey," the doctor advised, his tone firm and grim. "I don't want to risk you getting ill."

"B-But, I wish to remain by Geoffrey's side, for Lucia," Elincia protested. "You know how dear he is to us, and she'll want to know if he's going to be alright."

"I understand, but while I'm tied up here, the other flu patients have no one to look after them. I had hoped to avoid this, but the only one left, aside from a few servants, is you. You and the others have to go distribute what medicine we have now to as many of the sick as you can. You must also send a messenger pigeon to Count Bastian and Sir Ike to ask them to deliver more. And, above all, you must find a way for them to do so without everyone who can still walk making a run for it."

"…Yes, you do have a point. Oh…" Elincia's words trailed off into a sniffle as tears defiantly continued to build in her eyes.

The doctor considered laying a reassuring hand on the distraught queen's shoulder, but, since he was in the middle of binding Geoffrey's head wound, he settled for rapping his knuckles against the table to break her fearful reverie.

"Don't worry, I promise that I'll do everything I can," he affirmed. "No matter what the cost."

"…Well, alright. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Just be careful while in the patients' rooms. As I said, you should take care not to risk your health more than is needed."

"Yes, of course."

With that, Elincia departed the room so the doctor could treat Geoffrey. She quickly returned to her chambersand, despite the recollection of her near-fatal dash to the kitchen the previous day, donned one of her less elaborate gowns. Compared to the rest of her wardrobe, this gown was remarkably plain and functional...and rather unlikely to be worn again after today's events. She then slipped on a pair of worn, but serviceable, sandals. Those had been a relic of her final days at the royal villa, when everything had been much, _much_ simpler, and they'd proven more practicable than her heeled slippers when Geoffrey and Lucia had roped her into a rare bout of youthful mischief. These would serve her well, in case she found herself needing to run; and, luckily, they still fit. With that, she headed back downstairs. She then began making her way towards the storage room where all of the castle's different medicines and medical supplies were kept, fighting back tears all the way. She saw again Geoffrey's limp and bloodied form, the deathly stillness of his face and, with a palpable sting of self-revulsion, how their last conversation had ended.

_No! Not "last!" Just… "most recent," _Elincia silently affirmed, though her gaze turned glassy nonetheless.

The queen, who had already lost her parents and her dear lord uncle, didn't think she'd have the will to live if Geoffrey was lost as well. Not for the first time, Elincia recalled her lonely childhood. Sequestered at the isolated royal villa, and with her very existence a closely guarded secret, the then-princess could count the number of friends she had on one hand, and with fingers to spare. Yet, of those few, she'd counted Geoffrey and Lucia as the closest. She'd been introduced to the two of them when she was still a tot, and the trio became fast friends, despite Geoffrey and Lucia being several years older than Elincia. They'd played with her and kept her company when she felt lonely, and whenever Elincia was sad, Geoffrey was there to give her a hug. And if someone had hurt her feelings, Geoffrey had always been there to stand up for her. Lucia had done also done so on more than one occasion, and, even back then, the aqua-haired siblings made a formidable team. They were like the older brother and sister she'd never had, and they were her closest friends.

The notion of how she would endure without them terrified her.

This train of thought, however, soon wended down even grimmer territory. Kieran was a close friend to Geoffrey as well, and would be destroyed if he found out his superior officer was on the brink of death and might not make it. As much as Elincia didn't want to cause Kieran anymore pain than he already suffered while afflicted by the flu, she knew she had to tell him eventually. With some reluctance, she promised herself that she would do so whenever she had the chance to bring him his medicine.

Luckily for Elincia, her destination lay upon the same floor as the infirmary, so doctors and physicians didn't have to travel far to retrieve what they needed in the event of an emergency. She arrived there within a few minutes after retracing her earlier path and quickly scanned the shelves for medicines used to treat flu symptoms. It was plain to see that that particular section had seen quite a bit of traffic. Several crates of the medicine, now empty of their contents, had been overturned and tossed to the floor. Only a few dozen crates remained, and many of those were already partly empty. This meant, Elincia realized grimly that the doctor's surmise had been correct. Hundreds of people occupied the castle, and each person would need at least several doses of the medicine over the course of their illness in order to make a full recovery. The flu, under normal circumstances, often lasted up to a week, and in severe cases, even longer. This flu, however, seemed to be anything _but_ normal. And, as such, Elincia suspected that Kieran would most assuredly remain abed for at least a week and a half due to this flu's particularly virulent nature and the fact that he had much greater exposure to it. She then decided that what medicine they currently had would go to the sickest patients whose conditions were the most serious. Hopefully, the others could wait for Ike and Bastian to deliver more. Elincia grabbed one of the crates, silently thanking Ashera that it was light enough to carry, and quickly departed the room. She'd barely gone two paces when one of the few servants that was still well arrived. Elincia quickly directed him to grab another crate and relayed her order to visit the most seriously ill first, and headed for Kieran's room.

As far as Elincia knew, the reddish brown-haired knight was in the worst condition of all those afflicted, and he might not even recover at all unless he was given medical attention quickly enough. The crate was light enough to carry, but just barely, and its weight slowed Elincia down somewhat. But she made her way to Kieran's room as quickly as she could. She also hoped that he wasn't asleep, or worse, too weak to swallow a spoonful of medicine. Thankfully, the trip to Kieran's room was even shorter than the one from Geoffrey's to the medical supply room, and much to the appreciation of her aching shoulders, Elincia arrived there within a few minutes. Carefully shifting her grip on the crate to free one hand, without dropping it and its precious contents, the young queen gently opened the door and shouldered her way inside.

"…Kieran? Kieran, are you awake?" Elincia inquired quietly. She spied Kieran a moment later. He was lying on his side under his covers drawn up near to his chin, and facing the wall opposite the queen. Elincia began to suspect that he was asleep. That is, until he stirred moments later.

"…Huh?" Kieran uttered and turned over. "Oh… Your majesty…"

"Oh, Kieran, I'm glad you're not sleeping," Elincia replied and gratefully set the crate down on the floor. "I've brought you some medicine. Have you taken any already?"

"Aw man… Yeah… I have…" Kieran confirmed with a grimace, his words labored and far between. "That stuff…it tastes…horrible…"

"I'm sorry, but you must take some more," Elincia insisted, removing one of the flasks of medicine from the crate. "You still look awful. You have to have at least one tablespoon every five hours."

It was true that Kieran looked awful. In fact, that might've been an understatement. The reddish-brown haired knight was still perspiring heavily, and his breathing was even more labored than his speech. His face was still flushed pink, though not as badly as before. Hints of several bouts of vomiting reached Elincia's nostrils as well.

"Oh… Alright…" Kieran agreed morosely. "I guess…I must."

"Thank you."

Each of the knights' rooms, Elincia knew, held a cabinet containing emergency supplies in case a doctor had no time to run to the supply room and back. She opened the drawer a crack and took a spoon. She then opened the flask of medicine and carefully poured some of the liquid onto the spoon into the spoon's shallow bowl. Afterward, Kieran reluctantly opened his mouth and allowed Elincia to ladle the concoction down his throat. The knight's face contorted into a grimace again as he choked down the liquid.

"Ugggh…" Kieran moaned, coughing slightly. "If only medicine…could taste…as sweet as my…knightly victories…"

Elincia couldn't suppress a giggle at those words. Kieran loved to compare things to his abilities, and often in a disparaging fashion to make himself look better. Though his usual egotism had given Elincia a precious instant of mirth, it faded when she remembered the other reason she had paid him a visit.

"Well, Kieran… I'm afraid I…also have some bad news," the queen began with a sniffle after closing the flask and returning it to the crate.

"Huh? What's wrong? Is it…about this flu?" Kieran wondered, instantly noting the queen's grim expression and ceasing his bluster.

"In a manner of speaking. …It's Geoffrey."

"…Oh no. He's ill too… Isn't he?"

"Yes, but…I…I'm afraid it's worse than that," Elincia reluctantly revealed, vainly trying not to cry.

Kieran's pink hued face was drawn with worry as he murmured "…W-What do you mean?"

"Geoffrey… He had an accident," Elincia grimly reported. "He took a terrible wound to the head, and he was bleeding badly. He…he might not make it."

"What?!" Kieran gasped, almost finding the strength to sit up, only to fall back down onto his pillow again. "But…w-what happened?!"

"I'm sorry, Kieran…" Elincia replied, tears streaming down her cheeks. "We're not entirely sure, but we have a good idea of what occurred."

Elincia then repeated Lucia's theory about the accident.

"…Oh no…" was all Kieran could utter as he grimaced once again, only this time in overwhelming sadness.

"I'm just as worried as you are…" Elincia admitted, though firmly enough to forestall any of Kieran's famous outbursts. "One of the doctors is doing everything he can to save him, though. And I assure you I'll do what I can as well."

"I know… But the thought…of Geoffrey like this…" Kieran rasped despairingly, his face falling into his upturned hands. Elincia had no doubt that tears had welled up in his eyes as well. She more than a bit surprised that Kieran had such a sensitive side. After all, he'd taken more physical wounds than most platoons combined, and hardly seemed to notice. Yet, right now, Kieran was too distraught to remember to refer to Geoffrey as "General."

"I know how you feel… Geoffrey has been one of my closest friends for as long as I can remember."

"Yeah… He's my best friend. I learned a lot from…him, and Lord Renning…about leadership. They're the reason…I earned the command…of one of our platoons…"

"I can believe that."

Kieran passed several moments heaving out rare tears before lifting his eyes to meet Elincia's gaze. Though his eyes were raw, red, and bleary, they blazed with determination.

"Please…your majesty…" he implored, the words coming a bit closer together this time. "If there's anything…I can do…let me know. I don't care…if I'm…ill. I gotta help…somehow…"

"Of course," Elincia answered, but with a melancholy sigh. "Though I must confess, I don't know if there will be much you can do in the state you're in."

"I know… But even if I…can only help a little… I gotta do…something…"

"I know. For now, however, you'd serve both me and Geoffrey best by focusing on getting better. Now rest well. I'll let you know how things go."

"Okay… I'll…try…"

With that, Elincia gave Kieran what she hoped looked like a reassuring smile. She laboriously heaved the crate of medicine off the floor and, her shoulders already aching from the load, departed the room.

_Okay, Ike,_ she mused. _You'll do the bellowing, _and_ the heavy lifting!_

That thought harkened her back to the battle between Ike and Arius, the self-proclaimed Wolf King. Her beloved mercenary had, seemingly, been crushed by a boulder… only to rise like a legendary titan, the boulder raised high over his head, a moment later. And, ever since, Elincia nearly swooned whenever he'd flex his biceps.

What she'd give for arms like _those_ to aid this task. Her own felt ready to break.

As she kicked the door shut behind her, however, she overheard Kieran murmuring.

"Geoffrey… Please…you have to…pull through… You can't die…" he said, sniffling some more. "Not you… Not one of Crimea's…best leaders. I maybe one of...the best in combat…but you and Ike…you two are…born leaders… The sort who…people would…follow anywhere… Geoffrey… Hang in there… Please…"

Her near-to-breaking arms forgotten, Elincia stood frozen beyond the door, yet another tear trickling down her cheek.

"Oh…" she whispered. "I've never seen him so desolate… He really admires Geoffrey. …Kieran, I promise you we'll save him."

Sniffling one more time, Elincia continued on to the other patients' rooms. As she distributed the flasks of medicine, trying vainly to focus solely on getting as many doses delivered as possible, she belatedly remembered that Bastian and Geoffrey were good friends as well. The queen found herself wondering if telling the count would be wise, as he was surely worried enough as it was with his "lady love" trapped in the stricken castle. He would surely be devastated when he found out that the general had been severely injured in an accident, and Elincia needed him in order to weather this crisis.

But as with Kieran, Elincia knew that she could never intentionally keep such news from someone so important in Geoffrey's life. She would have to tell Bastian through the next messenger pigeon, and hope for the best. After a moment's deliberation, she decided that she would also tell Ike. Even when things had seemed at their worst in the Mad King's War, he had always been able to comfort her with his indomitable spirit. What's more, perhaps he could convey some more advice in his reply. Even if he did not, she knew that having news from him would, at least, lighten her heavy heart. Though Elincia would much prefer that the man she loved so dearly be at her side, hearing his voice in writing might make the torturous spans of time that divided their meetings a little more bearable. Besides, despite his reputation for being mutton-headed, utterly false in her opinion, he'd already shown that he gave insightful council.

The notion nearly made Elincia burst into laughter. If Ike _did_ continue providing helpful advice, he'd likely prove that he would, just possibly, make an even better retainer than Elincia's actual advisors. And Ike was certainly no politician, which made the irony quite humorous.

Still, given the clandestine nature of their relationship, the question of secrecy inevitably intruded upon her happy musings.

After all, a stack of letters would be a little harder to conceal than a covert kiss or two.

Perhaps Ike could take the precaution of disguising his handwriting, or leaving his messages unsigned? Elincia knew that the surest way to keep any letters he might send her out of the wrong hands would be to burn them.

But the notion of burning a gift from her beloved mercenary was about as appealing as taking a meat cleaver to her own hands.

With sigh of equal parts longing and frustration, Elincia decided that she needed to focus on the task at hand rather than daydream about her boyfriend, or plot ways to secretly further their relationship. And besides that, not even thoughts of Ike could assuage her worries about Geoffrey. Elincia hoped that the doctor and the maid would have him out of danger by the time she and the other servants were done handing out the medicine. However, if they needed more help with the dying general, Elincia would be there. There were plenty of times Geoffrey had gone out of a limb for her sake, and there was no way she wasn't going to at least try to do the same in his time of need.

Several hours passed in a whirlwind of activity as Elincia and the servants continued distributing medicine to the sick patients. As the young queen had surmised, the medicine diminished long before the number of sick did. Only one crate of medicine was left, and yet dozens of patients still remained. She would have to contact Bastian and Ike as soon as she could, or she shuddered to think of what might befall the remainder of the stricken. As the crate she'd borne grew ever lighter, Elincia decided that this task would be finished without her. She summoned one of the servants and ordered him to finish the task, and then headed back in the direction of Geoffrey's room. The doctor had likely finished with him by now, considering how much time had passed since Elincia left the paladin in his care. The queen only prayed that he would recover…or at least, was still alive. As she approached the general's room, her heart began pounding faster and faster. A cold voice in the back of her mind whispered to her that Geoffrey would not wake soon.

That, in fact, he might not wake, period.

After what felt like years, Elincia soon arrived at the infirmary. The door was ajar and, through the crack, she could see the doctor standing over the bed while Lucia sat at the bedside. Now that she was clad in robes clean of bloodstains again, Elincia couldn't help but notice how terribly pale she looked. Geoffrey was now lying in the bed, the blankets drawn up to his chin. His head was literally swathed in white bandages, through which faint bloodstains were visible. As Elincia had feared, the general's eyes remained closed and he was still motionless. Some strands of his bright blue hair were damp with sweat as well. There was still color in his skin, however, which meant that he was alive. Elincia sniffled as she looked upon Geoffrey's unconscious form, wondering just how long this comatose state might last. The doctor, hearing her, turned around to find Elincia standing just beyond the doorway.

"Ah, your majesty," he greeted, a hint of weariness in his tone. "I presume that what flu medicine we have left has been distributed?"

"Yes, it has," Elincia confirmed. "But what of Geoffrey? Please tell me he's going to be alright!"

"Well, it's very possible that he will be," the doctor replied, though guardedly. "General Geoffrey was quite lucky. That blow to the head only resulted in a minor skull fracture, which he can recover from. The bleeding might have changed his prognosis dramatically, however. If it had gone unchecked much longer, it might have proven fatal. I suspect that you might very well have saved his life when you slowed the bleeding with your Heal staff. Otherwise, he would almost certainly be dead by now."

"Oh… That's a relief. But…there's more, isn't there?"

The doctor paused and heaved a long sigh, suddenly looking the part of a man who was much too accustomed to telling a patient's loved ones what they dreaded to hear.

"…I'm afraid so," he grimly confirmed. "Unfortunately, General Geoffrey might still be at risk of death. Though he has not lost enough blood that it would kill him outright, it has had a severe impact upon his system. He has fallen into a coma and may not wake for days. In fact, between this head injury and the flu, I honestly don't know if he'll ever wake at all. And even if he does, I can't guarantee that there won't be lasting negative effects from his head injury, and the depravation of blood to his brain."

"Oh… Oh my…" Lucia choked out.

Elincia could only gaze at Lucia in helpless anguish as tears trickled down each women's cheeks.

"I dearly wish I had better news," the doctor admitted. "But we've done everything we can for now. All we can do is wait and see what happens."

"…Alright," Elincia conceded, her voice choked with sobs.

"There is one oddity that I noticed, however," the doctor went on, more likely in hope of preventing a mournful silence than anything else. "Do either of you know how he got that huge bruise on the left side of his face? Surely it couldn't have resulted from his fall. The coloring suggests that it happened nearly a day beforehand."

"Oh… That."

Elincia cringed at the reminder of her blowing up in Geoffrey's face, but she knew the doctor deserved an explanation.

"That was…my fault."

The doctor blinked dumbly for a few moments, as though unable to believe his ears.

"I…beg your pardon?" he inquired, mildly stupefied.

"Well," Elincia began, turning redder with each word. "We had an…argument the other day. He said a few things that got me upset. Unintentionally, I suspect. But, I lost my temper and I slapped him. I wanted to apologize to Geoffrey today, but…"

"Oh, I see. Well, it makes sense that this flu epidemic would cause tempers to flare. Between the frustration with being sealed in here, and the flu striking so many, it's no surprise that all this would cause some of us to snap. You sure gave General Geoffrey quite the drubbing though."

"I noticed, but I honestly didn't mean to hit him that hard."

"I understand. But it'll heal. It's his head we should be worried about and that certainly wasn't your doing."

"Yeah, that's true. I guess…now would be a good time to send those messenger pigeons to Sir Ike and Bastian."

"Sounds good. Please keep in mind, however, that we'll need a way for this delivery to happen without sparking another series of escape attempts."

Elincia nodded, and then turned to Lucia.

"…Lucia?" she said.

"…Oh, yes?" Lucia replied moments later, snapping back to attention.

She had endeavored to sound calm and alert, but her eyes and face were red from crying. The queen, spurred to action by seeing the normally undaunted Lucia in such a state, pulled her milk sister into a tight hug.

"I'll be back soon," she reassured. "We'll watch over Geoffrey together, and we'll both be here when he wakes up."

Elincia felt Lucia nod against her emerald tresses as she sniffled.

"Okay," she replied. "Thank you, your majesty."

"Of course."

With that, Elincia drew back from the swordmaster, gave her milk sister's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and departed the room once more. The royal pigeon coop was within the castle's inner garden, near the royal stables, so it took the queen a little time to get there. Still, the walk did give her some time to think. Ike, she knew, slept like a rock and that waking him was no easy task. But, then again, the fact that he was aware of her predicament might have encouraged him to rise early in hopes of learning more about her situation. Bastian was an early riser, and his frequent serenades beneath Lucia's balcony often roused the castle as soundly as a cock's crow. Hopefully, both had already risen, and would receive her messages right away. The longer it took to get more medicine, the greater the risk to the remaining the flu patients. This was especially true of Kieran and Geoffrey since both, two of Crimea's finest knights, were in the worst condition. What's more, even if he did wake up, what if Geoffrey's brush with disaster led to another bout with mental affliction that prevented him from effectively leading the Royal Knights? This could easily spark yet another clash between Elincia, Lucia, and the nobles about whom should take command in Geoffrey's place. Such an important matter, however, would not be confined to the senate chamber. It could easily extend throughout the whole country, with provincial lords, local governors, the common folk and the knights themselves all arguing over who they'd rather see as commander of the Royal Knights.

Though she was loathe to admit it, Elincia knew she had to consider just who that replacement might be, if the worst should come to pass. She, personally, would put Kieran in charge once he recovered…at least temporarily. He was a strong knight, with peerless courage and loyalty. And, despite his whispered protestations to the contrary, he definitely knew how to command soldiers, even in the direst situations. He never panicked, nor did he set an example that his fellows would be ill-advised to follow. Well, maybe Kieran was too confident at times, but nobody was perfect, not even Geoffrey or Ike. The notion of asking for her beloved mercenary's help occurred to Elincia, but that could easily cause the wrong people to get suspicious of their relationship.

Adding several more items to her ever-lengthening list of reasons she wished she did not have to shoulder the duties of queen by herself, Elincia decided that she couldn't worry about it just yet. It was still possible that Geoffrey would make a full recovery and still be able to command the knights. She then turned her focus back to the messages she needed to send to Ike and Bastian, and within the next few minutes, she was out in the castle grounds and had reached the pigeon coop. Elincia was eager to return to Lucia and Geoffrey's side in the infirmary, so she quickly grabbed some parchment and a quill that lay stored in a lockbox next to the coop. After scribbling down the messages, she carefully removed two pigeons from their enclosures, tied one message to each, and pushed them into the air. The moment they left her grasp, the two birds spread their wings and sped off in opposite directions. Reportedly, once they had met someone, a messenger pigeon would never fail to find them again, no matter where that person might go. Elincia could only hope that these birds would live up to their creed, and that Ike and his mercenaries would have enough time to deliver the medicine. They were much farther away than Bastian's last known location, after all. And as the doctor had stated, the count of Fayre couldn't possibly deliver the needed medicine by himself.

Realizing there was nothing else to do but wait and hope for the best, the young queen returned to the castle and immediately made her way back to the infirmary. On the way to Geoffrey's room, Elincia quickly visited Kieran again to inform him of the doctor's findings and Geoffrey's prognosis. The knight had seemed relieved for the twinkling of an eye to hear that Geoffrey had at least a chance of recovery, but lapsed back into despondence at the news that the general could still die from the blood loss. Elincia could hardly blame him. Aside from losing such a good friend and an outstanding knight, the notion that the boy who'd come so far from his troubled youth to reach such heights dying from a cruel whimsy of fate seemed so…demeaning. She wanted to cry again herself, as she'd already lost her family in the Mad King's War, and seen so many brave soldiers and knights lose their lives on her behalf. She did not want to lose the closest thing she had to a brother as well. Nor did Kieran want to lose his best friend. When Elincia reentered Geoffrey's room, however, all she could do was seat herself beside Lucia, whom had taken on the appearance of a mournful statue. Geoffrey still lay motionless in his bed, barely breathing. With trepidation, Elincia brought two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. A thrum of life greeted her, but it was still faint.

An entire day and night passed as the two women maintained their vigil over Geoffrey. But, his condition stubbornly refused to change. His heartbeat gained in strength, but not by much. Since Geoffrey could not take any medicine, Elincia placed a cold, wet cloth on his forehead in an attempt to, at least, control his fever. However, he continued to perspire heavily and his skin remained hot to the touch. As she examined his bandages, she could see that they were now grew as damp as his hair and his face yet retained its pinkish hue. The only thing that even vaguely resembled an improvement in his condition was that the bruise on his face had begun to fade. Still on the alert for any sign that Geoffrey's condition was worsening, the doctor also continued to monitor him. Lucia refused to leave Geoffrey's side for any reason, so Elincia had to bring her food and practically force her milk sister to eat it.

The night wore on, with every minute seeming like days, and Geoffrey still showed no sign of waking. Elincia kept her vigil, but periodically ventured out to make certain that no new crises had presented themselves. During one such excursion, she received some badly needed good news. The messenger pigeons had returned, bearing replies from Ike and Bastian stating that both would have more flu medicine delivered as soon as possible. Though this news was welcome, it was hardly much comfort with the current crises at hand. However, Bastian's message contained some additional information which did please her. The count reported that he'd found the farm where the contaminated pork had come from. It had been listed on the steward's logbook as having sent a shipment of pork which had arrived just before the outbreak. And, upon arriving, Bastian had discovered that a number of the farm's workers and a few members of the family that owned it were sick with the same flu that was afflicting the castle.

Thankfully, the count and his men had managed to contain the illness and it had not spread beyond the boundaries of the farm. The stricken farmers, apparently, did their business almost exclusively with the castle, so the tainted meat had not made its way into other parts of the country. And, for good measure, Bastian had stationed plenty of men to keep people from leaving or entering the farm's perimeter. Thus far, there were no reports of the flu breaking out in other areas, so Bastian was confident that the illness had been cut off at the source. Ike's message stated that he'd seek aid from local apothecaries and clinics to stockpile as much medicine as he could. Once it was gathered, he would have Oscar and Titania load it into a wagon, which they would drive to the castle, since they were the only members of the Greil Mercenaries that could handle horses. Because of the ongoing danger of people trying to break out of the stricken castle, the question of just how the crates might pass through the castle gate yet remained. Nonetheless, Ike was confident that he and Elincia would find a way. And, with an almost cheeky stroke of the quill, he also assured Elincia that she would know if the crates were from him. And knowing the man she loved, and just how full of surprises he was, the young queen believed him. She was also glad that Ike and the mercenaries had not gotten sick from his escapade into the castle after all.

With good fortune, his next visit would be quite a bit longer.

Later that evening, after checking on the patients and wiling away the time with some work, Elincia returned to Geoffrey's room once again. With so many servants and maids ill, a lot of the cooking and cleaning had gone undone. Those who'd thus far avoided illness, including Elincia, had been run ragged trying to keep the castle functioning, as the flu patients needed clean quarters and to be medicated regularly in order to recover, and those inhabitants who were well needed to eat. Elincia, who had already decided that the castle staff had earned a raise, joined them in their myriad labors. Most of them were rather perplexed by this, as it was an uncommon occurrence, even under such circumstances, for a monarch to perform such menial, and with the flu going around, potentially hazardous, chores. Yet, Elincia had done each and all for the Greil Mercenaries during the Mad King's War, and she used what breath she could spare to regale the others with stories of those harrowing days.

Sometime later, tired and her voice turned raspy, but feeling strangely refreshed by sharing her tales of the war, Elincia entered Geoffrey's room. Within, she found Lucia asleep by his bedside, her head rested on his blanket. _She must have been there all day,_ Elincia realized. Lucia's hair was slightly disheveled and there were dark circles under her eyes. The dinner Elincia had provided earlier lay cold upon an abandoned tray, the repast not even half eaten. Had Lucia deprived herself of sleep and food to keep an eye on Geoffrey as well? Though Elincia could understand, and likely would've done the same in her milk sister's place, she didn't like this at all. Between her worries for Geoffrey and her unwavering vigil, Lucia had surely wearied herself to the bone, and beginning to risk her own health. Not willing to let Lucia add herself to the ever-growing number of infected, Elincia nudged her milk sister's shoulder.

"Lucia. Lucia, wake up," she said firmly. Lucia stirred moments later and her eyes fluttered open. The swordmaster's gaze met that of the young queen, and Elincia was astonished to see the many red veins protruding from her pupils.

"Lucia, what are you doing to yourself?!" she nearly demanded.

"…Huh? Oh, your majesty," Lucia replied with a yawn. "I apologize… I must have fallen asleep."

"Yeah, you did. Have you been up all day and night?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep."

"Lucia, this is preposterous! I won't have you falling ill too!"

The swordmaster's gaze lowered, so much so, that Elincia briefly wondered if Lucia had nodded off, but she laboriously raised her eyes a moment later.

"I know I shouldn't be doing this, but I've just been too worried to sleep or eat much," Lucia replied, and gazed disconsolately upon Geoffrey's unconscious form. "Geoffrey and I may bicker and tease each other sometimes, but that's to be expected between brothers and sisters. We argue, we jest, we compete; but, we also care a lot for each other. And he's all the family I have left…"

"I know and I understand completely," Elincia assured. "But you really should go to bed right now. I'm sure Geoffrey would not want you to put yourself through this, especially when it might put you in the same state as the others who've fallen ill."

"Yeah, you're right, but… I still feel I need to be by his side as much as possible. Even though he's younger than me, and has had a lot of…issues, he was always there for me when I needed him. You might not know this but, a long time ago, when I was a little girl, and Geoffrey was just a tot, I got sick with a flu. This was a year or so before you were born, if memory serves."

Despite her earlier entreaty, Elincia could not suppress her curiosity.

"Oh?" she said, leaning closer.

"Yeah, and back then, we called Geoffrey "Geoffy" because he couldn't say his name very well yet."

Elincia couldn't help but giggle. Though she did not know what Geoffrey had looked like back then, she was certain that he must have been an adorable boy.

"Heh, yeah. But he was so worried about me that he watched over me every day," Lucia continued. "And, for good reason, it seems. I learned, years later, that the fever had gotten so bad, that I wasn't expected to survive. My parents had even asked a local priest to stay nearby in case…the worse came to pass, and I needed him to read me my Last Rites."

Elincia clasped one of Lucia's hands, feeling the swordmaster tremble at the recollection.

"Geoffrey watched over me every day," she went on. "I never did find out if he understood that I…almost didn't make it, but he was always at my bedside. And, one day, when my fever reached its peak, he ran all the way to some woods nearby and picked a bunch of flowers. He put them in a cup with water, and brought them to me. He said, "For you, big sister! You get better soon!""

"Awww," Elincia gushed, managing a smile despite the grim situation which Lucia recounted, and the one she presently found herself in. "That was so sweet of him."

"Yeah, it was. Although he never told me if he'd understood back then, that I might die, I think he at least suspected. Even after I recovered, he later began to have nightmares about those days. I also helped him through that, just like he helped me feel better when I was ill. And I plan to always be there for him when he needs me."

"You're a very good older sister then," Elincia complimented with a smile. "But I really think you should go to bed. You look awful. And I'm here, so if anything happens, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Well, true. I guess I really should go get some sleep. Thanks, your majesty."

"Of course, Lucia."

With that, Lucia stood up and stretched. Before she could grasp the door handle, however, it rattled abruptly. The door opened, and in came the doctor. He jerked to a halt midstride when he saw Lucia's rather unappealing appearance.

"Good grief, Lady Lucia, what happened to you? You look terrible!" he noted, with as much candidness as concern.

"Maybe this will make Bastian take the hint, eh?" Lucia suggested, though there was little mirth in her tone. "But yeah, I haven't slept in a while, and I haven't eaten much today either. I've been too worried about my brother."

"That's understandable, milady, but it's not good. You really should go to bed before you fall ill yourself."

"I know. Her majesty already ordered me to."

"Good. I came to see if General Geoffrey has shown any improvement."

"Alright. I really hope he wakes soon, though."

"As do we all, milady," the doctor agreed, approaching Geoffrey's bedside and pressing two gloved fingers to his neck. "Hmm… His heart rate is the same as it was the last time I came in here, but his heartbeat is a bit stronger. He's shown some slight improvement, so he has a good chance of making a complete recovery."

"That's good to know," Elincia replied. "But what about his head wound?"

The doctor then examined the injured area of Geoffrey's head, gently probing the white bandages which swathed the skull.

"It's healing," he reported, though with a conspicuous lack of enthusiasm. "But there's still no telling what side effects this injury might have caused. Massive head trauma can result in all sorts of long and short-term problems. Such includes memory loss, seizures, speech distortion, changes in personality, loss of higher reasoning ability, and even bleeding within the brain itself or destruction of brain matter, which is often fatal."

"Oh my…" Lucia whispered fearfully.

"I don't think General Geoffrey is at much of a risk for any of the more…ruinous effects," the doctor continued, once more speaking in a guarded tone. "But we must be cautious nonetheless."

"Y-Yes, of course."

"Also, his head wound seems to have stopped bleeding. The most recent set of bandages I gave General Geoffrey are still mostly clean."

Just before the doctor could remove his hand from Geoffrey's head, however, he could've sworn that he felt it shift beneath his fingertips.

"Huh?" he wondered.

"What? What's the matter?" Elincia quickly inquired.

"I…I think he moved!" the doctor replied, almost disbelieving.

"He did? Then Geoffrey might be waking up!" Lucia realized, her weariness forgotten as she then turned her attention to her brother once more.

A moment later, a faint groan escaped Geoffrey's lips and his head lolled against his pillow.

"He _is_ regaining consciousness!" Elincia pointed out, tears of joy spilling from her eyes.

"Yeah! Geoffrey? Geoffrey, can you hear me?!" Lucia desperately inquired.

"…Uhn…" Geoffrey groaned as his eyes fluttered open. "…Huh?"

"Geoffrey! It's me! Lucia!" Lucia continued, crowding near her brother.

"And Elincia too!" Elincia added, flanking him on the opposite side.

"This is unbelievable," the doctor opined in abashed wonderment. "I didn't expect him to wake for another day or so at the very earliest!"

"…Wha…? Lucia… Your majesty. Where…Where am I?" Geoffrey inquired when he found his voice again.

"Geoffrey, you're in the castle infirmary," Lucia explained. "Do you feel alright?"

The newly woken paladin scrunched up his face in obvious pain, bringing up one hand to massage at his throbbing temples.

"…Uh… Ugggh! My head is…killing me…" Geoffrey replied with a grimace.

"You had a horrible accident in your room and you hit your head really badly," Elincia explained. "I'm not surprised. Most of your skull is swathed in bandages right now."

"Oh… Still, was it _really_ necessary to tie the bandages over my eyes?" Geoffrey inquired, somewhat irately.

Elincia and Lucia's elation suddenly vanished, becoming perplexity, tinged with a resurgent sense of worry.

Not only were the bandages well away from Geoffrey's eyes, but he was staring directly at the two women.

"What…what are you talking about?" Lucia wondered, her voice suddenly quavering. "There's nothing covering your eyes."

For a very, _very_ long moment, the paladin did not respond. Yet, his irate expression had vanished…replaced by one of budding terror.

"Wait, hold on. If…if... If there's nothing covering my eyes, then why can't I see?!" Geoffrey blurted, his eyes darting in all directions. "I-I can't see!"

"…What? What do you mean? We're right here!" Lucia frantically replied, her trembling hands vainly seeking to grab hold of her panicked brother.

Geoffrey's hysterics seemed to subside for a split-second; but, when Elincia saw his face, her heart seemed to stop in mid-beat.

Geoffrey was _terrified_.

"I mean I can't see a thing!" her milk brother blurted, his breath turning ragged. "Th-This can't be happening! Everything is blurry and dark! I've gone blind! I'M BLIND!"

"Are you serious?!" Elincia wondered, her earlier joy gone and turned into intense fear.

"What?!" Lucia cried worriedly. "Oh no…!"

The paladin's tirade ended in a long howl of anguish before he buried his face in his hands and began to sob.

"Oh dear…" was all the doctor could say. "This…is not good."

The doctor's words were a rather spectacular understatement. If Geoffrey had lost his eyesight, it would be all but impossible fro him to wield a weapon again, much less lead the Crimean Royal Knights. In fact, he might very well not be able to do much of anything without someone to help him make his way through the new world of shadows he'd newly entered. Elincia was now more afraid than she had been before. Geoffrey was alive, but he was effectively lost to Crimea if he could never see again.

To compound this tragedy, she also recalled how the paladin had once been driven near to ruin by the inner demons that had tormented him through his boyhood. After Geoffrey had so arduously suppressed them, he had vowed never to be weak again. And, thus the demons been held at bay. But now, having been rendered even more helpless than he had been back then, how long would it take for those demons to have free reign again? Unable to answer her own question, and not sure she could bear doing so, even if she could, Elincia drew Geoffrey into an embrace as her own eyes brimmed with tears.


	17. An Ultimate Challenge: Part 4

**Falchion1984: This chapter involves a - hopefully, not **_**too**_** amateurish - delving into the early days of medical science. As EmblemQueen pointed out to me during the collaborative phase of this chapter, Leonardo Da Vinci made considerable strides in learning how the human body works via examining dead bodies, using what we would nowadays call the autopsy. Since Crimea is reputed as being a kingdom rich in learning, it does not seem unreasonable to assume that similar early steps into the workings of the body have occurred. We have endeavored to represent this in a fashion that is sensible - scientifically accurate, but purposefully fragmentary since it involves new fields of study in the FE world. However, I cannot be certain if we were successful. If not, feel free to offer suggestion on how we can do better.**

**First things first: the condition that Geoffrey is suffering from is what we would call "Cortical Blindness." That is, the loss of vision due to trauma to the occipital lobe of the brain. The cause sets it apart from other ways that vision can be lost in that the eyes are not at the root of the problem. In fact, the eyes typically are in perfect condition but, due to the damage to the occipital lobe, the information they gather cannot reach the brain. We wrote this chapter under the presumption that Cortical Blindness is known to Crimean science, but only partially understood.**

Part 4: Remedies

A terrible, solemn hush had fallen over the small room as Elincia and Lucia grieved over Geoffrey's condition. The doctor, momentarily forgotten, looked on at the scene, rooted to the spot and sick at heart with helplessness. In what reminded the two women of a scene out of his troubled boyhood, Geoffrey heaved ragged breaths, tears escaping his sightless eyes, as Elincia continued to hug him. The doctor belatedly realized that Geoffrey might be infecting Elincia at that very moment, but his bereavement over this latest calamity left him mute with worry. And he had good reason for his consternation, for he feared he knew exactly how the trio would react when he told them what this event might entail.

And, what he foresaw was not pleasant.

Being the bearer of bad news was an ancient and inescapable hazard in his occupation. Never was there a doctor who didn't have to tell a new mother that her newborn baby would likely not survive due to premature birth, or tell an injured young man that his hopelessly damaged limb would have to be amputated, or some other dire prognosis.

Yet, in this case, it was not the doctor's knowledge that caused him pain, but a lack thereof.

Bracing himself for the worst, the doctor took a deep breath before speaking once more. However, before he could say anything, Lucia frantically whirled and spoke up.

"Please, tell me there's a way we can restore my brother's sight!" she begged desperately.

"Wait, who are you talking to? That other voice I heard?" Geoffrey inquired, his gaze darting in vain search for whomever his sister was addressing.

"Yeah, he's the doctor that treated you," Lucia replied. "He's the same one who carried you here from your room, and who advised Elincia on the nature of the illness the other day."

"Oh, then please, I don't want to be blind forever!" Geoffrey pleaded, his tone cracking with panic. "I'm the commander of our knights, and one of the few experienced men-at-arms Crimea has left. If the knights learn that I, a leader they've come to deeply respect, must be discharged because an accident left me blind, their morale would be crippled. And we all know how bad this would be for Crimea, especially since we're still recovering from the war."

Elincia was suddenly reminded that more than the knights' morale might be crippled if Geoffrey remained blind. The aqua-haired paladin was now visibly trembling, his face turning ashen with fear…and harkening Elincia back to those nightmarish episodes from years gone by.

Whether or not Geoffrey was strong enough to withstand another bout of such affliction, Elincia knew she could not allow him to suffer like that a second time.

"I agree with Geoffrey," Elincia added. "Even if I were to promote someone to replace him, whether it's Kieran, or even if I reinstated Sir Ike as a lord, the knights would never be the same again. Not without Geoffrey leading them. There's got to be a way to save his eyes!"

Geoffrey seemed to stiffen at the notion of being replaced, and Elincia found herself wondering if it had been wise to make this entreaty with the stricken paladin listening. Still, she knew time was too short for second guessing or self-recrimination, and laid a reassuring hand on Geoffrey's shoulder.

"Mmm…" was all the doctor could say in reply. It was followed by a deep sigh.

"Please…" Lucia begged again, approaching the doctor and looking him in the eye.

Another heavy sigh parted the doctor's lips and, seeming as though he were steeling himself for some heavy blow, he finally spoke.

"Well… I… I'm afraid I do not know," the doctor admitted with an ashamed grimace.

"W-What?!" Geoffrey blurted, his already ashen face paling still further.

"I am sorry," the doctor replied, his tone betraying just how much of an understatement that was. "But, I have no answer to that question."

Those words fell upon Elincia like a punch to the guts, smacking the breath from her lungs and causing her head to lighten. The effect on Geoffrey and Lucia, however, was far more dramatic.

The paladin, seemingly lost in his own despair, fell back against his pillow and once more began sobbing into his hands. Lucia, whose nerves were already drawn taut, seemed no longer able to keep her seat. Lurching to her feet, her hands wringing, she began to stumble about the room in blind arcs. Elincia, suddenly aware of just how much worse the already exhausted Lucia looked, snatched at her milk sister's arm to stop her pacing.

"Lucia, please, hear the man out," Elincia urged as the older woman sagged in her restraining grip.

"I will tell you what I can, if you so wish, but I fear you won't thank me for it," the doctor cautioned, and then continuing when Elincia nodded her assent. "Being learned in the arts of healing, your highness, I imagine you know that there are many oddities encountered in our craft. In combat, it is not unheard-of for soldiers to have seizures or to go blind from having certain types of light magic cast directly into their faces at very close range. What's more, there is the anomaly of certain aromas triggering flashes of memory, followed by feelings of nostalgia."

"Is there a point to this?" Lucia interjected, much too confused and upset to sit patiently through a lecture.

"Forgive me, I will try to be more concise," the doctor apologized. "In recent decades, those of my vocation have devised methods by which to examine a body following death, to seek clues as to what contributed to the decedent's passing and other afflictions that he or she might've suffered in life. What has happened to General Geoffrey harkened me back to a mystery yielded through these new methods. There have been incidents of traumatic head injuries causing blindness and deafness in certain individuals. Some of these ultimately recovered, others did not. Yet, when the bodies of these individuals were studied after death, it was determined that their eyes and ears were all in perfect condition."

Having lived all but the past two years of her life in total seclusion, with every day now yielding some new wonderment, it was no surprise that Elincia possessed an intense and nigh-insatiable curiosity. Usually, she might've been fascinated by this lecture of the sciences blazing trails in strange new realms. Yet, with her milk brother seemingly lost in a world of sightless anguish and her milk sister's nerves near to snapping from the combined weight of exhaustion and fear for her sibling, the young queen could not keep a note of impatience from her tone as she urged the doctor to finish, and quickly.

"Their brains, however, offered some insight. In the instances of those who remained blind or deaf, certain regions of the brain showed signs of extensive, unhealed damage. Those who recovered, however, had brains either showing less damage, or even none. I believe General Geoffrey may be suffering from something similar. Aside from the fact that his vision was lost after a massive blow to the head, he is also missing a typical symptom of blindness. The colored portion of the eye, as well as the pupil, look no different than normal. If he had become blind through other causes, one or both would be covered in a white film. Since this is not the case, I must conclude that the blow to the head is the cause."

"Oh…" Elincia uttered somberly with a sniffle. "But… But how does a head injury cause someone to go blind?"

"In truth, we only know half the answer…if even," the doctor explained, sounding no less somber than the queen. "Those studies of the brains, as I mentioned, showed that people rendered blind or deaf by head trauma revealed damage in certain areas. Because there was at least some consistency in where this damage was found, it has led to the working theory that the rear portion of the brain, nowadays referred as the occipital lobe, controls ones vision. That area, as you recall, suffered the brunt of General Geoffrey's mishap."

"The part of the brain that controls the eyes is so far away from them?" Elincia asked, puzzled despite her growing dread.

The doctor's lips curved and twisted, as though he was trying for an ironic smile but couldn't quite manage it.

"You would be amazed at how often the sciences lead us in counter-intuitive directions. But, to answer your question, yes. Though we do not yet know whole story, the evidence presented by the pattern of injury discovered in the post-mortem examinations is conclusive. The occipital lobe governs sight and, if it's damaged in any way, one's sight may be impaired, or even lost all together. General Geoffrey's head injury was to the right rear area of the skull, wherein lies a portion of the occipital lobe. However, he must have hit it hard enough to affect the entire lobe's ability to function properly."

"Oh my goddess…" Lucia sobbed, her tear-stained face falling into her upturned hands.

"Then…there's nothing you can do?" Geoffrey finally spoke up, his voice choked to a whisper that sounded very young and very afraid.

"This is terrible…" Elincia uttered, barely able to get the words out.

"I'm truly sorry," the doctor replied sadly. "But I know of no remedy to this, nor can I say whether or not the blindness is temporary. We still know very little as to how and why the brain sometimes does, or doesn't, correct itself. Though there must be a rhyme and reason for why some regained their sight and some did not, it is beyond the scope of our knowledge. And, even those who _did_ regain their sight only did so after several weeks. Thus, General Geoffrey's best prognosis is…well…"

He could not bring himself to finish the sentence. But, then again, he hardly needed to. At best, Geoffrey would spend several weeks in this new realm of darkness or, at worst, he'd be groping his way through shadows for the rest of his life.

Geoffrey, stunned by this unspoken revelation, remained agape for a long moment before craning his head heavenward and howling in despair and sadness.

"This is terrible…" Elincia uttered, barely able to get the words out before she began to wail. "Oh… Oh, what am I going to do? I don't know what to do! I'm so sorry, Geoffrey!"

"It's not your fault, your majesty…" Geoffrey protested, his hands seemingly seeking to embrace the distraught queen, but finding only air. "Please… Don't blame yourself. Ugh, this fever is starting to get to me. I feel so tired. And my head still hurts like hell…"

"I know I'm not to blame, but Geoffrey, you just rest," Elincia insisted, trying to sound calmer than she felt. "It's all you can do right now. But, as much as I wished to avoid this, I'm afraid someone else is going to have to command the knights in your place…at least for now. I'm just not sure how I'm going to decide who that will be. If I choose my own candidate, those insufferable nobles will likely protest against my decision. If I allow them to choose, however, they'll probably suggest people neither of us would trust with the position…"

"Argh… You're right. Damn…"

Elincia sighed before continuing.

"Dear me… Maybe I'll just have to—"

"Wait, your majesty," Lucia interrupted. "I'll do it. I'll command Geoffrey's men."

Hearing this nearly made Elincia choke on her words. As though uncertain she'd heard right, her gaze slowly turned towards her milk sister, but she saw only earnest determination in Lucia's somewhat haggard features.

"What? But Lucia, are you sure? You don't exactly seem to have your head on straight at the moment," Elincia pointed out.

"Besides," Geoffrey spoke up, roused from his anguished reverie by his sister's pronouncement, "you don't know how to handle a warhorse in combat."

"I know how to ride well enough, and nobody in this castle can match me with the sword," Lucia pointed out, no less resolved despite the rebuke.

"Stealing my horse to make a fast getaway from Bastian is hardly the same as riding into battle," Geoffrey countered. "Besides, you nearly got trampled when he threw you from the saddle for trying to spur him through that underbrush. And, Bastian _still_ caught up with you."

Even yet another example of the seemingly limitless hilarity of Bastian and Lucia's relationship could not distract Elincia from how she was growing less and less enamored with her milk sister's suggestion. And, her fears were well founded. The warhorses used by the knights were beautiful creatures, but their supple limps and rich coats belied how deadly they could be in combat. During the battle of Fort Pinell, when she had first taken the field, Elincia seen more than a few soldiers, from either side, seemingly vanish beneath the thundering hooves of a charging warhorse. After the charge had passed and the dust settled, revealing to her the mangled, twisted remains of the first soldier to meet such a fate, Elincia had offered a silent prayer that his death had been quick. The image of Lucia in a similar state now painted itself in her mind's eye, causing that ever present knot of dread in her stomach to tighten.

Lucia must've gleaned Elincia's train of thought, for she drew nearer, lowered herself onto the bed, and clapped a reassuring hand on the queen's shoulder.

"I know, but it's the least I could do for Geoffrey," Lucia insisted. "He's my little brother and he needs his sister's help."

As soon as the quip had left her mouth, Lucia's lips peeled away from her teeth in a smile…but, one that was bereft of mirth and betrayed her desperate worry. Almost as if his sightless eyes could see his sister's state, the paladin replied to her barb with feigned, almost comical petulance.

"…How many times do I have to tell you to stop with that "little brother" stuff?" Geoffrey grumbled, folding his arms and attempting to glare at his sister, but his gaze alighting upon the wall instead. "Yes, I'm blind, and I may very well be helpless, but I'm a grown man for crying out loud!"

"I realize you're a big boy now. But you're still younger and I love teasing you," Lucia admitted with a wink, though the gesture was likely lost on her stricken brother. "Still, in this case, I'm being pretty serious. You're my brother, and as your only immediate family, your care falls to me if you're…crippled."

Elincia could not help but note the distaste with which Lucia spoke that word. And, the queen shared the sentiment. Perhaps Geoffrey did as well, for his lips curled in disgust for the twinkling of an eye before he tried vainly to resume his expression of feigned annoyance.

"Well, that's true," he conceded. "But I swear, if you embarrass me in public at all—!"

"Oh come now, you know I'd never do that," Lucia assured, promptly contradicting herself by pinching at her younger brother's cheeks. "At least, not on purpose. Hee hee."

Elincia merely giggled at the siblings' antics, but it came out a little shaky. What's more, despite her valiant attempts to inject humor into this disheartening situation, Lucia's tone of mischief and joviality didn't sound entirely convincing. Still, Elincia found herself mulling over Lucia's earlier suggestion.

She still was dubious about the idea, to say the least, but decided that her milk sister was the only real choice.

Despite her less-than-auspicious reputation with horses, Lucia was nonetheless a brave and skillful combatant. She was also well respected and, if Geoffrey _did_ recover, she would not hesitate to relinquish her post.

Even the most honorable of Geoffrey's knights had their ambitions, and might react badly to the idea of receiving a promotion only to have it snatched back a few weeks later.

"Well, if you're up to it, you can command the Royal Knights, Lucia," the queen decided.

"Ah, thank you, your majesty," Lucia replied with a smile that betrayed her exhaustion. "I promise I will do my very best."

"I'm glad," Elincia said with a trace of a smile, and then turned her attention to Geoffrey. "Now Geoffrey, can you tell us exactly what happened? Do you remember anything about what you were doing before passing out?"

"Yes, I'd like to know myself," the doctor added.

"Well, it's a bit fuzzy…" Geoffrey admitted, scratching at the back of his head. "I remember waking up in the middle of the night. I felt really hot, and I was perspiring heavily. And then…uh…um… Dang it!"

"Did you have to go into your bathroom for any reason?" Lucia inquired.

"…Ah, yes, that's right! I did get up, because I was feeling nauseous. I was hoping that it wasn't what I thought it was, but I should've realized that it was too good to be true. Before I could even open the cover on chamber pot, I was on my knees retching all over it and the floor. And then when it was finally over, I staggered to my feet and left. After that…uh… I think…I started feeling really weak and fatigued. And that's all I can recall. The next thing I know, I'm waking up in here."

"Then I was right. I suspected that you lost your balance and fell, and then smashed your head into the corner of your coffee table."

"…Oh. Yeesh. But how…how long have I been in here?" Geoffrey nervously wondered, no doubt worried that the situation in the castle had worsened while he was indisposed.

"…Nearly two days, I'm afraid," Elincia revealed, sniffling again. "You were in a coma."

"T-Two days?!" Geoffrey gasped.

"It's true, unfortunately," the doctor confirmed. "These two were by your side nearly that entire time."

"…Damn… I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but you really didn't need to do that. There must've been others in the castle who needed you."

There were, and I did what I could for them," Elincia answered, hoping he wouldn't press her for details and learn that their stockpiles of medicine were nearly gone. "But, we were so worried about you, Geoffrey. For a long time, we were afraid you were going to die…"

"Wow… The wound was that bad?" Geoffrey inquired, unable to hide how startled he was by the admission.

"It was awful!" Lucia blurted out, sniffling again. "I was the one that found you on the floor in your room. Blood, everywhere…"

Lucia's words trailed off as the recollection choked her voice away, her head drooping and her eyes turning glassy. It was a long moment before Geoffrey found his voice.

"Oh… I…I'm so sorry I put you through all that."

"Geoffrey, don't be ridiculous. You've nothing to apologize for," Elincia denied firmly. "It was all an accident."

"Yeah, but… With this flu epidemic, the last thing you two needed was me busting my head open and nearly dying."

"True, but what's happened has happened. All we can do now is leave Royal Knights in Lucia's hands for the time being. And you must stay in bed and rest. Meanwhile, I'll see if there might be a way to restore your eyesight."

At this pronouncement, Elincia found three pairs of eyes alighting upon her, and there was no mistaking the puzzlement and skepticism she saw in each gaze. Not so very long ago, such scrutiny would've made her terribly self-conscious of how young she was and how little she knew of the world. Yet, that seemed so very long ago.

Ike had taught her to be confident, even in the face of the unknown; and, it was high time to put those lessons to use.

"I think it's no secret that, with everything that's happening, Geoffrey will be left to his own devices for some time," she went on. "And, I do not relish the idea of him lying here, possibly for weeks, wondering whether or not he'll ever be able to see again."

Again, Geoffrey seemed to stiffen at her words. Lucia gave Elincia a warning glance, but the young queen continued nonetheless.

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but I remember all too well the days after the Greil Mercenaries first found me. Every waking hour, I was wondering what had happened to my lord uncle. Was he still alive? Where was he? Would I ever see him again? Any time I let my mind wander for more than an instant, those questions would echo in my head. I tried to tell myself that all I could do was keep calm and hope for the best, but it was foolish of me to think that that would be enough. I kept busy however I could, but I'd still lie awake at night just…worrying. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but learning of his death hurt me less than not knowing."

She paused for a moment, as much to get her breath as to let her words sink in. The aqua-haired siblings' silence took on a mournful air, as both of them had greatly admired the late Duke Renning. The doctor, however, regarded the queen with an arched eyebrow and an expression of intense curiosity.

"I don't relish the idea of Geoffrey going through what I did. So, I'll see if I can find out, one way or the other, whether or not we can save his eyes," she paused and turned to the doctor. "You said yourself, we know very little about how and why those people either did or didn't recover. We're still missing a lot of information, and maybe we can turn some up."

This was, she had to admit, a blind gamble…both figuratively and literally. In truth, she had little idea of where to look, and even less of how she would recognize the clues she so desperately sought. Yet, she also knew that she would gladly take that gamble if it meant that Geoffrey might be able to see again.

Besides, what was the Mad King's War, the efforts to build peace with the laguz or her love affair with Ike if not a blind gamble?

As though he'd caught her train of thought, and it had appealed to his scientific curiosity, the doctor gave an approving nod.

"I must admit, what you're suggesting is a chancy thing…at best," the doctor remarked. "There is no guarantee that we'll find any answers, much less the one I think we'd all prefer. And, with this flu epidemic, we might not be able to spare anyone to delve into this mystery. However, despite all that, perhaps it is worth a try."

"I would appreciate any help you can offer," Elincia replied, trying to conceal how relieved she was at his words.

"And, that goes double for me," Lucia affirmed, a hint of a genuine smile finally crossing her features.

"Well, don't thank me yet," the doctor warned. "As I said, there are no guarantees. For now, however, we should determine how to help General Geoffrey in the interim. If he does remain blind, then it may eventually be possible for him to…adapt to the loss of his eyesight. Some patients I have seen who were in similar conditions managed such a feat, and even to live fairly normal lives afterward. But, that won't be possible until he is well enough to walk again. In the meantime, he will need a caregiver to assist with his daily living."

"So, since I'm blind right now, someone has to come feed me and bring me a drink every now and then?" Geoffrey inquired, seeming to devote a great deal of effort to keeping his tone neutral. "And I can't get up and summon someone myself, that same person will either have to pop in every once in a while or stay within earshot in case I need anything?"

Though the doctor gave no outward sign of sensing Geoffrey's hidden discomfiture, Elincia and Lucia understood all too well. As the two women exchanged glances, each recalled how his troubled boyhood had ingrained into Geoffrey an intense hatred towards being powerless or being seen when he was not at his best.

Now, both were about to become inescapable parts of his life…and, despite his pretenses, they could see how much he loathed the idea.

Unless Elincia's blind gamble paid off, however, the young queen saw nothing that could be done about it.

Lucia, however, seemed to have an idea.

"I'll be taking care of all of that, Geoffrey, don't worry," she assured. "As I said, the responsibility for your care falls to me."

"Wait, you're going to command my knights _and_ be my caregiver?" Geoffrey wondered, unable to disguise his perplexity.

"Of course," Lucia affirmed, laboriously trying to recover some of her earlier mischief. "Do you seriously think I would trust anybody else with my baby brother?"

More feigned irritation flashed across Geoffrey's face. But, after a moment, he sagged in a purposefully overdramatic show of resignation.

"Great, thanks a bunch. The same person who's going to be in charge of my knights is also going to be helping me to bathe and relieve myself. And, after that, it gets even better. Eventually, I'll be well enough to get up on my own, but I won't be able to see where I'm going. So, until I figure out just _how_ to get by without being able to see, you'll have to help me use the pot, strip naked, and wash up. That pretty much cover it?"

With much effort, Lucia managed to don an expression of the sort of perniciousness she typically reserved for obliterating Bastian's romantic advances. And, Elincia found herself thinking that it might be an ironic mercy that Geoffrey could not see what insidious portents Lucia's expression conveyed.

"Sure does," Lucia confirmed, sounding almost happy. "The truth is, I used to see your naked bum all the time when you were little. Mother did have to change your diapers and give you a bath, after all. And, since Father's duties as a knight kept him so busy, I had to help sometimes. Well, _all_ the time, actually."

At this, Geoffrey let out a furious groan, his displeasure not completely feigned this time, and his cheeks flushed in a deep red. Elincia and the doctor burst out laughing, though the young queen suddenly found her levity slipping away.

This talk about Geoffrey's childhood, she suddenly feared, might further dampen the paladin's spirits. After all, despite the hilarity of this reminiscence, Elincia was well aware that Geoffrey had hated his troubled childhood.

Might he find further cause for despair if Lucia's words sparked in his mind the notion that he'd soon have a second childhood, even worse than the first?

Deciding not to risk it, Elincia snatched at Lucia's shoulder and tried to convey the warning with her eyes. Geoffrey, meanwhile, had turned over and buried his face in his pillow. Muffled words, vaguely sounding like "Somebody shoot me," escaped through the rippling folds.

"DAMN IT, LUCIA!" he shouted through the fabric and stuffing. In truth, Geoffrey had hoped that his words might embarrass his sister, giving him at least the satisfaction of getting back at her for all the times she'd teased him over the years. Instead, however, it had utterly backfired.

Yet, though he tried to ignore it, a cold, eerily familiar voice in the back of his mind whispered that his sister's conniving wit would soon be the very least of his problems.

"Hey, that's what you get for trying to humiliate me in the first place," Lucia replied smugly. "But in all honesty, you don't have to worry. It's all just harmless jibbing. It's not like I'd go saying these things to any of the knights or anything."

For a fraction of a second, Elincia thought she saw Geoffrey's mouth compress into a thin, grim line; as though, perhaps, he took Lucia's words more seriously than was intended. But, his expression changed again so quickly that she could not be certain.

"Well, yeah, but… Can't I successfully get you back for once?" Geoffrey wondered.

"Maybe. Just keep trying," Lucia suggested teasingly. "Hee, hee."

Lucia's snickering trailed away a moment later, however. Her teasing expression suddenly turning earnest, she scooted closer to Geoffrey and cupped his face in her hands.

"But still," she began again, this time her tone bereft of impishness, "I don't want you to worry. We've made it through some hard times before, and we'll get through this too."

She drew Geoffrey into an embrace and, though her next words were whispered, Elincia was fairly certain she could make out the phrase "I promise."

"Hey, guys, I'm sorry to cut in, but we still need to figure out how we're going to get Geoffrey's sight back," Elincia spoke up after a long pause.

"Ah, yes, that's right…" Lucia replied, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Hmm…"

"Doctor, you mentioned that you'd worked with blind people in the past," Elincia spoke up after a moment. "Did you encounter anything that might help us?"

"Well, I'm not certain," the doctor said. "I _have_, in fact worked with blind people before, but none like this. Some lost their eyesight due to infection or cataracts; that is, an opaque clouding that can form over the eye. Those I was able to treat with eye drops or surgery. However, since the source of the problem is Geoffrey's brain, rather than his eyes, those methods would be useless to us. He needs a form of medication that will help heal the damage to his head, but I don't know of any such medicine."

"What about that lecture, where you learned about how head injuries could cause blindness? Are you sure it didn't mention anything else that might help us?"

"I'm afraid not. The post-mortem examinations that I spoke of occurred some years prior to the lecture. All of them happened before I became a doctor, and some before I was even born. The doctors who conducted the examinations have likely passed on by now. And, even if any of them are still alive, I do not recall their names, nor do we have any way for them to enter the castle, even if we did discover their names and whereabouts. And, for obvious reasons, their test subjects are in no condition to be answering questions."

"True…" Elincia replied, but her eyes lit up a moment later. "Wait a minute! Kieran!"

"Huh? What about him?" Lucia wondered.

"Yeah, what's Kieran got to do with this?" Geoffrey added, his tone suggesting that, whatever the answer, it would not be to the paladin's liking.

"I mean he might be able to help! Kieran hurts himself all the time when he trains, doesn't he?" Elincia pointed out. "He's probably had more head injuries than all of the knights combined. He could've suffered this same blindness!"

"Uh, that may be true. But with all due respect your majesty, Kieran is far from being a doctor," Lucia replied, seemingly confounded by Elincia's logic…or, perhaps, the lack thereof.

"Yeah, not to mention that he's in worse shape than I am at the moment," Geoffrey seconded.

"No, that's not what I meant," Elincia corrected, suddenly wondering how she'd ever managed to get through her regular addresses to the people. "If I'm right, then that means that Kieran has suffered the same blindness as Geoffrey, but that he recovered. And, if so, that could mean that he knows of a doctor or even medicine that can help."

Here, she paused to face the doctor.

"You said yourself, we can't ask the people who were examined because they were dead. But, if we _do_ have a living patient who suffered from this blindness and recovered, that could tell us a great deal."

"There are quite a few "if's" in that proposition," the doctor cautioned. "Still, until the epidemic ends, that might be our only real option."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Elincia remarked, the barest hint of sarcasm in her tone, before she turned back to the stricken paladin. "But, I know Kieran really wants to help you, Geoffrey. When I spoke to him earlier, while you were still comatose, he told me that he regards you as his best friend. And he was really worried about you. The poor guy was in tears when I told him what had happened."

"Oh. Really?" Geoffrey wondered, feeling flattered despite his current predicament. "I had no idea he held me in such high regard. I'm really quite honored."

Here, he paused as a rueful grin crossed his features.

"Though, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," the paladin admitted. "He doesn't always seem to have his head mortared on straight…heck, when I recommended him to command a platoon, everybody thought I was nuts. But, I knew that he was one of the best knights I've ever seen. On top of that, he's a very good friend of mine as well."

"I admit that I'm still skeptical about this idea, but I suppose it's worth a try," the doctor commented.

"Well, then what have we got to lose?" Elincia asked rhetorically. "I'll go speak to him right now."

With that, Elincia turned towards the door. However, she paused in the doorway when she heard Geoffrey call out to her.

"Wait, your majesty…" he said, the weight of his exhaustion suddenly pressing down upon him with a vengeance. "Just…one more thing."

"Oh? What is it, Geoffrey?" Elincia inquired.

"If…I don't regain my sight," the general began, then forcing himself to continue with seeming trepidation. "I want you to…reinstate Ike…and give him…my command."

For a stretching second, Elincia was silent. Her doe colored eyes blinked, once and then again, as though unable to believe the words she'd heard.

"What?" she replied, in little more than a whisper.

It was a small, simple word…yet, the implications of what the paladin had said were neither small nor simple.

The expectant trio briefly forgotten, Elincia's mind brimmed over with possibilities.

Ever since she and Ike had shared their first, fumbling kiss in the castle garden, they'd sought some way for the two of them to be together, despite his being a commoner and she a queen.

Could Geoffrey have just given the two young lovers that which they so desperately sought?

The notion caused her head to lighten. If Ike were to become the new commander of the Royal Knights, he could live in the castle, come and go as he so wished, and pop into her chambers at any hour to discuss "important business"; and, all without causing anyone to so much as bat an eye.

Those long, torturous days and weeks that separated their time together would be a thing of the past and, whenever she had to leave the castle on official business, no one would find it at all peculiar that Lord Ike would accompany her.

This was a gift beyond gifts, a golden dream now held in the palm of her hand…

…but, in an instant, she realized that the golden dream was tarnished.

As her brief delirium of joy lifted from her eyes, she saw the man who had offered her this gift.

And, Elincia would have to have been blind herself to not see how miserable Geoffrey looked. Nearly everything good in his life had come from the Royal Knights. Amongst their ranks, he had found everything that he had lacked in his troubled youth.

A sense of purpose, of self-worth and belonging, the treasures of friendship, loyalty, and dignity…

…taking that away might very well be little different than ramming a blade through his beating heart, to say nothing of breaking her vow to make sure Geoffrey did not suffer a repeat of his childhood torment.

Yet, though the part of her that was Geoffrey's milk sister was now repulsed at the idea, the part of her that was Crimea's queen had a very different view on the matter.

Whether she liked it or not, the Royal Knights were a vital part of Crimea's defense, and they needed a strong commander. There would very likely be times when her duties to her people would supersede her more personal loyalties, even to Ike or her milk siblings. If she had to decide between her people and Lucia, for instance, it was a foregone conclusion which the aqua-haired swordmaster would urge her to choose.

Familial loyalties and love affairs aside, if Geoffrey could no longer lead the knights, then she had no choice but to replace him. Yet, the notion of replacing him with Ike now left her at odds with herself.

On the one hand, Ike was surely the best candidate, especially if Geoffrey never recovered. And, an opportunity for her and Ike to be so close might not come again.

Yet, on the other, the notion of gaining Ike at the expense of everything Geoffrey had spent years devoting himself to left a bitter taste in her mouth.

For what felt like the ten thousandth time, Elincia silently cursed harsh realities of her crown.

"Er…your majesty, are you okay?" Geoffrey's voice rang out uncertainly.

The young queen, shaken from her reverie, stood bolt upright, already wondering if her long silence might've given rise to suspicion. Though she already knew that Geoffrey and Lucia could be trusted with the knowledge of her affair, she had no idea whether or not the same would hold true with the doctor. Luckily, the doctor seemed to be busy mixing an herbal concoction to alleviate Geoffrey's fever, and hadn't noticed anything untoward.

"Sorry about that, your suggestion gave me much to consider," she finally answered, desperately hoping that no one would press her for details. "It's an interesting idea. But Geoffrey, you know how Ike is with many of the nobles."

"Yes, but…" Geoffrey had to pause as the doctor rather insistently ladled some of the herbal broth down his throat. "There's no other commander that our men would follow as willingly as they would Ike. Kieran shows great potential as a leader, and he's as strong as an entire platoon. But after the Mad King's War…any Crimean would gladly lend their blade to Ike. And besides, Lucia would run herself ragged if she tried to command my men while caring for me at the same time… You've got to convince him…to come back…"

Elincia knew that, if she did as the paladin asked, she might as well be tying the noose around her milk brother's neck. Yet, though he must surely have realized this, he did not shrink from this most grave of duties to his queen and country.

And, though she admired his unflinching loyalty, the young queen also found herself desperately hoping this would be the last time she would have to choose between fulfilling her duties as queen and the well-being of those she cared for.

"Well… Alright…" Elincia reluctantly agreed. "But only if we can't restore your sight."

Geoffrey nodded his understanding and, again, Elincia found herself wondering how she would solve this dilemma... or _if_ she could solve it.

"Now, Lucia, you still need to go to bed. Leave Geoffrey to the doctor for now," Elincia ordered, as much to give herself space to think as for the older woman's wellbeing.

The aqua-haired swordmaster, the strain of the day having the eerie effect of making her look nearly twenty years older, rose from her seat on the bed and began to walk towards the young queen. Despite her obvious weariness, she looked as though she wished to argue the point. But, in mid-step, her gait abruptly faltered and she nearly went sprawling. Elincia managed to catch her halfway through the fall, seeing Lucia's exhaustion with stunning clarity. This time, Elincia's expression brooked no argument.

"Yes, your majesty," Lucia agreed, too tired to even sound petulant. Both women then departed the room and, once Elincia had waved over a maid to guide Lucia to her room, they went their separate ways.

Though she realized that, sooner or later, the strain of the day would surely take its toll on her as well, Elincia nonetheless hurriedly made her way to Kieran's room. She was certain that if anyone knew of a doctor or medication that could treat blindness caused by a head injury, Kieran would. Ever since he was a small boy, he'd trained to become a knight with a dedication that verged on manic, and a seemingly complete disregard for his own safety. Unsurprisingly, he'd injured himself many, _many_ times, more so than any other squire, Elincia guessed. Not to mention she recalled that Rhys, the sickly priest who served the Greil Mercenaries as their principle healer, frequently had to treat gashes in the knight's head which he'd accidentally inflicted upon himself.

Perhaps Kieran too had woken up one morning after taking a blow to the head and found himself unable to see. If so, whatever insights Kieran could share might be Geoffrey's best chance for recovery.

Perhaps his _only_ chance, since Elincia couldn't leave the castle or let anyone inside, which meant that there was no way she could get a doctor from outside to help. This also meant that, if her supposition about Kieran was wrong, then her only other choice would be to send more messenger pigeons to Ike and Bastian and ask them if they could make some inquiries. But, since the two might already have their hands full stockpiling medicine to fight the flu epidemic, it seemed doubtful that they would be able to combat a second emergency. Hopefully, however, Kieran would be able to help.

In what felt like seconds, Elincia was at Kieran's door once again. She snatched the knob and quickly flung it open. As she suspected, however, the only sound to greet her entrance was snoring. The young queen was hardly surprised to find the red-armored knight asleep. It was evening, after all, and Kieran was still very ill. Much though she hated to have to disturb him at such an hour, Elincia knew she had no choice. And besides which, she knew Kieran would not object to being roused at such an hour if it meant he could aid Geoffrey. The queen quickly approached the knight's bedside, but before she could say anything, Kieran abruptly rose to a sitting position. At first, it looked like he'd been roused by her approach, but then she realized that his eyes were still closed.

Not that this stopped the ever-flamboyant knight from swinging an imaginary poleax within an inch of Elincia, just barely missing her head and she leapt backwards.

"Take that…you overgrown lizard!" he shouted, as the startled young queen's shock faded into amusement. "You won't hold…my men captive for long!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Elincia muttered with a small chuckle. "Even in his dreams, he's always looking for another opponent."

After dealing his next "blow," Kieran fell backwards and continued snoring. Elincia idly wondered whether or not Kieran would prevail over the "lizard" he was battling, but she knew she had to interrupt.

"Kieran! Kieran, please wake up for a moment!" she urged. "I need to talk to you. Kieran!"

"…Huh..? Wha?" Kieran blurted sleepily, his eyes fluttering open. "Aw, your majesty… I was just about to kill a giant feral wyvern…and rescue my captured platoon. I've had such a…dream often…but, I still love it!"

Elincia merely chuckled before responding.

"I suspected as much, but this is urgent," she said. "It's about Geoffrey."

A moment ago, Kieran had been slumped against his pillow, and expression of mingled delight and drowsiness on his too flushed face. Yet, upon hearing these words, he sat bolt upright, blanching as his fatigue was replaced with alarm.

"What?!" he blurted, sounding almost terrified. "He's not dead, is he?!"

"No, no," Elincia hurriedly replied, startled by Kieran's outburst. "In fact, he's awake and he'll recover. Except…"

Her words trailed off as the young queen, abruptly recalling her milk brother's desolation, found words failing her. Kieran, meanwhile, hesitated before interjecting.

"…Oh no. Don't tell me. …He's blind."

Elincia, shaken back to attention, blinked and her mouth dropped open.

"How…how did you know?!" she inquired, sudden hope flaring in her breast.

"I suspected that might happen…when we spoke yesterday. You told me…Geoffrey's injury was near…the back of his head."

"Yes, that's right. I had hoped you might be familiar with his condition. Is this so?"

"Yep. I had a similar injury a long time ago…before I came to the castle to become a squire. I wasn't even thirteen yet…but I was already hard at work practicing with an axe…for the day I became a knight. I was…well…this will sound stupid, even for me…but, I "borrowed" a horse, so I could learn how to ride. My family were…horse-breeders, you see. And, we had all sorts of…fine mounts in our pasture. One day, my mother told me to…feed them and, after I was done…I picked one and hopped onto his back. But, the horse was…too big for a small boy. He started bucking, and I was…thrown off. I took one to the back…of the head on the way down…"

"Ouch. That must've hurt."

"Yeah. By then, of course, my mother and older sister realized I'd…been gone for too long. They found me just…outside the pasture, out cold. Later, when I woke up, I was blind… For a long time…they were frantic, because…they…had no idea…how to help me. They took me to one doctor after another…but, none could help. All of them…said my eyes were fine. Then, a week or so later…they heard about how a local priest…was devising new medicines using rare herbs. They'd heard that…he'd cured a man who…became deaf after being clocked in the temple, so they decided to ask his help…"

For the first time since the flu epidemic began, Elincia felt a sense of genuine relief flood over her. The blind gamble, she was certain, had paid off. Surely, Kieran would now provide her with the means to restore Geoffrey's sight and spare him a second bout with the demons of his troubled boyhood.

"So, you and your family went to see him?" she inquired eagerly.

Her elation wavered slightly when Kieran let out a strangely bitter laugh.

"Yes…" he replied, then shook his head. "And, our timing…couldn't have been worse. The priest did have…a formula for a rare and valuable medicine, but he didn't have…any ready-made. And, he was in…a bad way…when we arrived. He was bedridden…from arthritis, I think…and couldn't get the ingredients himself."

Hearing this, the young queen let out a long, anguished sigh. Apparently, delving into Kieran's experience with this strange form of blindness had led her to a dead end.

"So, you_ didn't_ get the medicine?" Elincia wondered, unable to keep her disappointment from her tone as she envisioned the look on Geoffrey's face when she told him that she'd come away empty-handed.

"No, you…misunderstand me," Kieran contradicted. "He let my…mother copy down…the formula. It also contained notes…on how and where to…find the ingredients. With that…information, she was…able to gather them herself."

Elincia's head snapped up, her eyes wide. Could this mean that her gamble had not failed after all? The thought caused the blood to begin pounding in her ears.

"And, this medicine can help the part of the brain that governs sight to heal?" she guessed, her pulse seeming to quicken with each word.

"Exactly," Kieran confirmed. "That priest said…that such blindness is almost always temporary, but it can last…for several weeks, or even months."

"Oh my…"

"But, he also said that the medication he'd devised can…restore sight almost completely…within a matter of days. Two or three weeks at the longest. It depends…on how severe the injury is."

"Wow! Then that's exactly what Geoffrey needs."

"Yeah, my…thought exactly. Once my mother finished mixing…the medicine, the priest let her…keep the copy she'd…made of the formula. He said he…suspected I'd need it again. Guess he…was right… Well, sort of."

"Indeed. Could you tell me how to reach your mother so she can send us this formula?"

"You won't…have to. As a matter of fact… I have it."

"What? You keep a formula for medicine?"

"Yeah, I know… It's kinda hard to believe… Haha… But I'm serious. As a boy, I was…overly willful, and my mother was…quite the worrier. When I decided to…try and become a knight…I decided that forgiveness was…easier to come by…than permission. Most of the…escapades I pulled…she only learned about…after the fact. She was…not pleased."

Elincia just couldn't help herself. The mental image of Kieran as a small boy, covered with his usual array of cuts and bruises, being scolded by his mother was enough to cause laughter to bubble up in the young queen's throat.

"I'm sorry," she apologized a moment later when she'd regained her composure. "I shouldn't have laughed."

"Well, I suppose…I had it coming…for worrying Mother like that. But, to come back to…the point, after I'd gotten my…sight back, she insisted I keep…the formula close at hand, in case it was needed. It's in my chambers… There's a hidden compartment…in my lower desk drawer… I had it put in…not long ago, to safely store whatever…I wanted kept from prying eyes. You'll find the…formula inside…"

"Oh! Thank you, Kieran! Thank you so much!"

"Of course… I said I wanted to…help General Geoffrey. I'm glad I…got the chance."

"He won't soon forget it either. When I mentioned to him that you might have a way to help him, he said he's always been very impressed with you, both as a knight and as a friend."

"Ah! Really?! I knew I was the best knight under his command! Huzzah!"

"Heh, yeah, it's true. And, that was quite a story you told me. One thing I'm curious about, what did your father have to say about your little escapade?"

Kieran's weary grin suddenly vanished, twisting into a scowl as he, to Elincia's surprise, spat upon the floor. An instant later, however, Kieran seemed to realize just how unseemly such a display was in the queen's presence.

"Er…I'm sorry about that…" Kieran apologized. "That was most crude of me."

"No, I'm not upset," Elincia assured, though she _was_ quite startled by the red-armored knight's reaction to such a simple question. "But, I _am_ a bit confused."

There was more than a hint of displeasure on Kieran's face as he, reluctantly, replied.

"My father was…pardon my language…a dastard. He just didn't care about me… See, I'm the youngest…of three children. My brother was the first born… Then my sister was the middle child… And then me. Only my mother and sister loved me. My brother… Gah! He makes even that…squinty eyed fiend Oscar look…saintly, by comparison. My older brother…handled a lot of the…face-to-face aspects of…the business...and, he considered me an embarrassment. He was…always venting his frustration on…me, when a sale fell through, or a breeding failed, or whatever. It seems like…all he ever did was bully and torment me. He and my father thought I was weak and useless…because I kept hurting myself when they'd teach me to handle a horse...or to use a weapon. Any horse or weapon…"

For a long moment, Elincia was left dumbstruck by the confession. For the longest time, she'd assumed that any father worth the title would be proud beyond words to have a son as brave as Kieran.

But, then again, quite a few of her assumptions had crumbled since she'd been driven from the royal villa.

Despite this, however, she found herself perplexed by and sympathetic towards Kieran's misfortune. The young queen had barely known her own father and yet, despite that, she'd at least known that he'd loved her.

Apparently, for some, even _that_ was a luxury.

"Oh… That's terrible," Elincia whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

"Yeah…" Kieran replied distantly, sounding as though his thoughts were far removed from the overflowing castle infirmary. "My mother and sister constantly worried for me… But they also stuck up for me. They believed that I was blessed with strength…and bravery…and that I…just needed to learn how to use it. My father and brother, though, they always said…I was just a "lame, swayback mule." When my mother…who owned the business…rewrote her will to…award me an inheritance…my father and brother…were furious…One day, they went off…to close the sale of a broodmare…and, they never came back…"

"That is just cruel. But I'm glad your mother and sister stuck by you."

"Me too… I can't say I was…sorry to see those knaves go… But, things were…rough after that… We had plenty of…competitors… And, when those two wretches abandoned us…we were left short-handed, and…without our best salesman… It was hard selling our horses…after that… But, because of that struggle…I learned how to…compete and be persistent. I'd fight anything and anyone that dared to challenge me, so I could get stronger. Whether it was a stubborn horse…or a rustler…or whatever… But, as you've discovered…I still have a sensitive side too. To be honest, I'm rather embarrassed about that, mostly because of my father and brother. Breeding horses calls for…firm-handedness and…a robust constitution. They…thought I just…didn't have it, that I was a…weakling, and too soft…and they'd say that I wasn't a real man. So to prove that I could be as tough as anybody, I trained every day and I taught myself to fear nothing… I even taught myself to fight and ride…successfully, that is… At least, until I came here and studied under an instructor."

"You taught yourself to fight and ride? Wow… I would have never guessed," Elincia admitted. "I bet Oscar would be impressed too."

"Ha, Oscar… When I first met him, I knew it was the beginning…of an epic rivalry," Kieran recalled, too wrapped up in his reminiscence to notice Elincia roll her eyes. "We sparred, and then we had that race. In every bout…we seemed so evenly matched that…every one of them was practically a tie. I could see it in his eyes! …Er, figuratively speaking, that is. Still, I knew he would be my rival from that day forward! I knew that if I could best him, I'd prove to my family, and maybe even those two dastards who deserted us, that I could be the strongest and toughest…"

"I'd say you already have proven yourself, if you'll pardon my saying so."

"Maybe. But, I still think that…I can do even better. And, besting Oscar would prove…_really_ prove…that I'm the best."

"Ah. Yeah, I bet. Oscar has a lot of skill."

"Exactly. Another thing I wanted…for a long time, was to prove to my father and brother that they were wrong about me. But, I never got the chance. Not long after Ike's group rescued me from that prison…I received word that…they were killed during the invasion of Melior. I wasn't exactly…grieving, but I was…upset that I would never get…the chance to…show them up. Later on, though…I realized that…I'm still here… I fought and killed my enemies the whole way through the war… And General Geoffrey himself considers me…one of his best men… Heh…who's useless now?"

"Now that's what I call being a strong knight. And I bet your mother and sister are very proud."

"They definitely are! I'm the first in my family to become such a strong warrior…and my legacy will live on! My descendants will consider me a legend of their bloodline…and speak of me with pride!"

"And I bet they will," Elincia agreed with a smile. "Now, you said the hidden compartment was in the lower drawer of your desk, right?"

"Yep. All you need to do…is make sure the castle has all the required ingredients."

"Great! Thanks again, Kieran!"

"You're quite welcome, your majesty."

Elincia then turned toward the door, but Kieran suddenly called out.

"Oh! Wait, hold on!"

"What's the matter?" Elincia wondered.

"I almost forgot. That medicine… It has a side effect."

"…Kieran, all medications have possible side effects."

"Well, yeah, but you really need to know about this one. It very rarely occurs, but certain patients that have taken this particular medicine have been known to contract…Brain Fever."

"Oh…" Elincia replied, sudden wariness creeping over her as she recalled her last adventure alongside her beloved Ike and his mercenaries.

They had embarked upon a search for Ettard, a magnificent sword that Ike's father, Greil, had hidden before his death for his son to someday claim as his own. During the first leg of their journey, they had found Jerec, who had taken part in the battle against Arius a few weeks before, lying severely wounded in the middle of a game trail in the Gallian jungle. Though the Daein Halberdier had eventually awoken, it was determined that he'd contracted Brain Fever, a deadly infection in the brain that caused it to swell. At the time, the beorc knew of no cure for the disease, and the group could only look on in helpless grief as Jerec's condition rapidly worsened. However, during a chance encounter with Ranulf, Ike's cat laguz friend, it was revealed that the laguz could save the stricken halberdier. Ranulf had led the group to a laguz shaman retreat and thus, Jerec had survived.

Elincia recalled Jerec's brush with death all too well, and was less-than-enthused at the prospect of Geoffrey running a similar risk. But, she also knew that this represented his best chance of remaining a knight, and that he would happily take that chance.

"Well, it's a risk I'm willing and going to have to take," Elincia proclaimed. "I know Geoffrey would be willing, if it meant he could remain with the knights. Besides, a few months ago, while I was helping Ike to find Ettard, we discovered that the beast laguz have a cure for Brain Fever, so if Geoffrey contracts it, we'll bring him to Gallia."

"Oh, really?" Kieran said, looking greatly relieved. "Well, then you should have no worries."

"Great. Now get some rest. I'll see you later."

With that, Elincia departed the red-armored knight's room. Clearly wearier than his lengthy reminiscence would've suggested, Kieran collapsed against his pillow and went back to sleep the moment the young queen was out of the room. As she raced back down the corridor, Elincia quickly realized just how tired _she_ was. With some reluctance, she decided that, after she found the formula, she'd have to return to her chambers for a good night's sleep, and then hand the parchment over to the doctor in the morning. The man had had enough to deal with for one day, after all, what with tending to the many flu patients as well as Geoffrey. This, coupled with how exhausted Elincia was herself, made it clear that nothing more could be accomplished tonight.

All she could do, for now, was find the formula and hope that the doctor knew how to concoct medicine as well as prescribe it.

However, that train of thought led to another, darker one. Would the castle even have the proper ingredients? Recalling how she had watched the castle's stockpiles of medicine literally vanish during Geoffrey's coma, Elincia suddenly found worry grappling with her exhaustion. Still, she shook it off and decided that, if any of the ingredients were missing, all she could do was ask Bastian or Ike to find and deliver them alongside the flu medicine. Still, she'd rather not have to burden either of them yet again, especially since they were already working hard to gather the flu medicine.

Kieran's chambers were located on a floor above the infirmary, but below Geoffrey, Lucia, and Elincia's own chambers; so it took the young queen a little time to get there. Once she arrived, however, Elincia did not hesitate to hurry inside. Kieran's chambers were similar to Geoffrey's Spartan domicile, having few frills or excessive furnishings, though it was somewhat smaller due to him having a lesser rank in the army.

Kieran's room was cluttered with an assortment of training weapons, ranging in condition from gently used to broken, and dominated by a large practice dummy. In fact, after gauging the breadth of the dummy and the size of the doorway, Elincia found herself confounded as to how the contraption had been transported inside. Still, after picking her way over the aftereffects of several epic matches between the red-armored knight and the wooden sentinel, she finally reached Kieran's desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Elincia recalled that Kieran had described the compartment containing the formula she needed as being hidden, so she quickly began to search for any sign of a lever or a knob that might open a concealed panel. A glance inside of the drawer had provided no clues, but once Elincia removed it from the desk entirely, she found a small handle set into the back. It was nestled within a notch in the wood which, she belatedly realized, allowed the backside to remain flat and allow the drawer to slide in as far back as the others.

Since the drawer would therefore not protrude, make any odd noises when pushed all the way in, or seem too heavy in comparison to its fellows, who could hope to chance upon this secret compartment?

Elincia felt a grin tug at the corners of her mouth at this find but, when she tugged at the handle, her grin promptly vanished when she realized that the little door would not open. She leaned in closer, whereupon she noticed the tiny keyhole below the handle and sighed in frustration.

"Ohhh! Kieran, you didn't tell me I'd need a key!" Elincia fumed to herself. "I guess that, between worrying about Geoffrey and falling ill, he must've forgotten."

Massaging at her suddenly throbbing temples, Elincia sagged to the floor and contemplated how to overcome this latest setback. She wasn't going to run all the way back down to the infirmary and then right back up just to ask Kieran where he'd hidden the key, and then run all the way back up again. After such a long, trying few days, she was so exhausted that just keeping her eyes open demanded all of her willpower. What's more, even if she did drag herself back to Kieran, he had likely fallen asleep again anyway. She'd have to find the key on her own.

She took another look at the cluttered domicile, and suddenly realized that such would be easier said than done.

"Oh brother… This place looks worse than Ike's room at the mercenary fort…and, I didn't even think that was possible! Well, there's no time to grouse; I need to think. Now, if I were Kieran, where would I hide such an important key?" Elincia wondered as she let her gaze rove over the knight's chambers. When she spied Kieran's weapons rack, she smiled. He kept at least two poleaxes and two short axes propped up against it, so he'd always have replacements available in case he broke one during training. And it was surely the area of his chambers which he most frequented. If anything valuable was hidden on or in the weapons rack, Kieran would undoubtedly remember to check on it practically every day. Elincia quickly approached it and felt all along the sides and edges of its beams, hoping to find another hidden compartment. And soon enough, her probing fingers discovered that the top portion of the forward right beam could be pulled free like the cork of a bottle. Elincia then inserted her index finger and dragged out a tiny silver key.

"Heh, it sure pays to know a friend or ally well," the queen quipped with a small chuckle.

Elincia quickly went back to the desk drawer which still rested upon the floor. Without hesitation, she inserted the key into the lock. It slid right in, and when the queen turned the key, the lock clicked open. She opened the door to find a small, rolled up piece of parchment sitting in a narrow compartment. Elincia took the parchment and unrolled it. As Kieran had stated, the letters at the top read "Formula for the treatment of Blindsight." Below was a succinct treatise on the causes, symptoms and effects of Blindsight, which confirmed that this was the condition Geoffrey suffered from, follow by a list of the needed herbs and chemicals to treat it, as well as instructions for mixing the concoction. Most of the substances listed were known to Elincia, as she was well practiced as a healer, but she was still unsure whether or not the castle had all of the required ingredients written on the parchment. However, she was confident that the doctor would know.

After closing the hidden compartment, replacing the drawer in the desk, and returning the key to its resting place inside the weapons rack, Elincia departed Kieran's chambers and made for her own, idly wondering if Kieran's chaotic dwelling was good cause for her to be less critical of Ike's messy habits. The drooping in her eyelids and the way her gait occasional faltered, however, cut short that musing and made it clear that she could do no more this evening. It would be taxing enough to reach her chambers and hide the formula in a safe place somewhere within. She could then deliver it to the doctor at dawn. And, hopefully, the first shipments of flu medicine would arrive in the morning as well. With good fortune, Elincia would be able to treat both Geoffrey and many more flu patients the next day.

Even if that did not spell an immediate end to the epidemic, it would at least mean the illness could be controlled and end sooner. However, as Elincia stumbled into her bedchambers and snatched up her night gown once again, this musing caused her to realize another potential problem. With the shock of Geoffrey's blindness, she'd almost forgotten that his misfortune had occurred because he was also sick. Thus, he required flu medicine as well. Though Elincia was aware that Ike and Bastian might not be able to deliver enough to cure the entire castle, at least, not all at once, she knew that Geoffrey might stand a far greater risk. From her experience as a healer with Ike's army, the young queen knew that certain types of medicine could react to one another while in a patient's body. And, as far as Elincia knew, these reactions could be fatal. Could the medicine to remedy Geoffrey's blindness react to the flu medicine with such hazardous results? _Ugh, I wish I'd thought of this when I was still talking to Kieran! _She thought in frustration. _I'll have to ask him about this in the morning. If he doesn't know, then the doctor might…_

After changing into the night gown, Elincia went over to her vanity table and removed the cushion from the well-padded chair situated in front of it. Laying upon the smooth wood beneath was a gold key, almost as small as the silver one she had discovered earlier. Elincia picked up the key and then inserted it into the lock on the jewelry box sitting on top of the vanity table. It clicked open, allowing the queen to place the parchment inside. Finally letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, Elincia tiredly entertained the notion that maybe, just maybe, the worst was behind her, and then re-locked the jewelry box. After returning the key to its resting place underneath the chair cushion, Elincia literally collapsed onto her bed. Though she felt weary to her very bones, she knew she would find little sleep this night. Though the notion was quite appealing, she knew better than to expect a repeat of two nights before, when Ike had conveniently appeared beneath her balcony. Though having Ike's brawny form entwined with hers would do wonders for the young queen's spirits, she knew that her beloved mercenary's mission to stockpile and deliver the medicine was far more important.

And yet, despite the many flu patients still desperately awaiting the medicine and her longing for Ike, Elincia found her mind becoming more and more crowded with thoughts of Geoffrey.

The general had pointed out himself that he'd practically been rendered helpless. And, despite his putting on airs, it was obvious that he didn't like it. Though Lucia likely hadn't meant any mockery by alluding to Geoffrey's childhood, Elincia could not help but worry that she'd unwittingly worsened his disposition. Still, even if that wasn't the case, Elincia knew Geoffrey well enough to know that, between his passion for his duties and his hatred of appearing weak, Geoffrey would loathe the idea of having to rely on someone else take care of all his needs for him. Granted, once the epidemic was finally over, he would have plenty of people to help him. Lucia had already volunteered and, thankfully, she would not regard his condition with a condescending eye. And, Elincia knew that Kieran, several maids and servants, and even the queen herself would gladly lend their aid as well. But even so, Elincia couldn't imagine how useless or pathetic Geoffrey would feel, having fallen from being well-respected and admired to being an object of pity.

And, the part of her that was Crimea's queen shuddered to consider how the knights would fair without Geoffrey to command them anymore, no matter who replaced him. Ike was still a tempting candidate, in more ways than one, and the army would surely remain strong and in good spirits under his command, due to his reputation from the Mad King's War. But, even so, not a moment would pass without Geoffrey being missed. Elincia knew she had to try to save the general's eyesight, no matter what the cost. She stopped that musing just shy of affirming that she might carry that pledge through, even if it meant opening the castle to doctors from elsewhere and risking the flu spreading further…but, she wondered if fate would test that precarious resolution.

**Falchion1984: As a further tidbit, Cortical Blindness was not referred as "Blindsight" haphazardly. In 1986, a paper on Cortical Blindness was written by Lawrence Weiskrantz. The title of that paper, and the tentative first name for Cortical Blindness, was Blindsight; hence, the name on the formula. As was aforementioned, Cortical Blindness causes the victim to lose their vision, but without the eyes suffering damage. Hence, why the first round of doctors whom young Kieran saw were unable to help him. Finally, Brain Fever is the Victorian-era term for what we call Meningitis/Encephalitis. As Elincia's musings point out, this is not the first time this has made an appearance in our shared work. The question, however, is whether or not it will reach the same fortuitous end as last time.**


	18. An Ultimate Challenge: Part 5

**Falchion1984: This next part deals with concocting the remedy for Geoffrey's condition and, again, I'm crossing my fingers with regards to scientific accuracy. After some vigorous googling, I thought of a possible correlation between Cortical Blindness and the possibility that the remedy might cause Brain Fever (Meningitis/Encephalitis). The common thread **_**might**_** be a cerebral edema; that is, a swelling of the brain caused by acute inflammation and fluids becoming trapped in one portion. In looking over an herbal remedy to both cerebral edemas and brain inflammation, I came across a few odds (in more than one sense of the word) that would contribute to a recovery. Did you know that Parsley and Cilantro seeds have medicinal properties? I was surprised too. I also added in two other plants which exist in the real world but, for the purpose of this story, have fictitious names. These include Golden Infinity (derived from the herb Scrophularia, which is known to combat edemas) and Horsetail Grass (derived from Ephedra Sinica which, among many other uses, acts as a vasoconstrictor to alter blood pressure). Such ingredients might strike the doctor as peculiar, but they might also save Geoffrey's vision…or, will they? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

Part 5: Recovery

The next morning, when the sun peered over the horizon, Elincia rose groggily, feeling as though she'd barely slept a wink. But then, how could it be otherwise, given the previous day's events? She had been so worried that she'd slept little more than a few hours, her consternation rousing her from her slumber again and again. And each time she awoke, the queen almost dreaded falling back asleep. In stark contrast to the dream she'd had about Ike two nights before, she now feared having a nightmare about Geoffrey, or the epidemic finally escaping the castle to ravage the countryside. Yet, weary though she was, she also knew that she still needed to make sure that such nightmares did not become real; so Elincia eventually forced herself to rise from her bed and get dressed. After changing into another simple gown, which also might not survive the day, she retrieved Kieran's parchment from her jewelry box and departed her chambers without hesitation.

Though, when she recalled the enormity of the day ahead, her determination almost wavered.

Not only did Elincia have deliver the formula to the doctor and figure out how to receive Ike and Bastian's shipment without sparking another mad rush for the gates, but there was a great deal of other work to do as well. With so many of the servants and maids bedridden from the flu, those in the castle who were still healthy were being run ragged maintaining the day-to-day operations of the castle. Meals needed to be cooked every day, dirty clothes frequently piled up in the wash room, flu patients needed to be given their medicine, and above all, the walls and gates needed to be guarded to make sure that no one entered or left the stricken castle.

Elincia didn't particularly mind the work, as she'd performed far more strenuous tasks during the war. Still, after passing two sleepless nights, her limbs felt leaden and her thoughts clouded. She was able to deduce, however, that the doctor was most likely still asleep, and that he needed rest far more badly than she. So, the young queen chose to visit Geoffrey first, and tell him that her gamble might have paid off. Much though Elincia hoped otherwise, she rather doubted that the general had slept any better than she, for the young queen could hardly imagine that one could easily sleep through a headache and the slow burning of a fever. And besides which, Elincia had news that she knew he would surely be most eager to hear. It was obvious that Geoffrey had been quite distraught when he'd realized that his injury had blinded him, and knowing that there was a chance to save his sight would do much to ease his worries. When she arrived at his room, Elincia quietly pushed the door open, in case Geoffrey was asleep after all. However, what she saw inside made her gasp. Two partially dried puddles of foul smelling liquid, in equally unsightly shades of green, brown, and red, marred the floor beside the bed and splattered the bucket nearby. Geoffrey was awake, but all he could do was grimace and clutch at his head in pain.

"Oh!" Elincia cried, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Geoffrey!"

"Huh? Queen Elincia? Is that you?" Geoffrey replied, though his voice was rather faint and raspy. "What's wrong, your majesty?"

"Yes, it's me. But are you okay? There's vomit all over the floor by your bed!"

"There is? Aw, crud… I did miss the bucket after all."

"Oh dear… We forgot to show you where it was. I'm so sorry, Geoffrey."

"It's fine, don't worry. Everyone has a lot on their minds lately. I don't blame you."

"Yes, but I really should show you right now. Just give me a minute…"

Elincia could not help but notice that Geoffrey's grimace had deepened, and that it likely had nothing to do with his headache. The paladin's small mishap had clearly served only to rub salt into the previous day's wounds, and his obvious misery tugged at the young queen's heartstrings. Still, she reminded herself that she finally had a way to help him, so she snatched up a pair of the gloves the doctor had left on the room's counter, no doubt for just such an occurrence. She slipped them on and approached Geoffrey's bedside, careful not to step in the puddles of regurgitation. The queen then took the general's hands, muttering a quick apology as her touch seemed to startle him, and guided them to the bucket, helping him gauge its location in relation to himself.

"It's right here below where your shoulder lays. Can you tell where you have to reach?" Elincia inquired.

"Yeah, I have a general idea," Geoffrey confirmed, though with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. "Thanks. Though, I doubt any maids are going to enjoy cleaning up this mess."

"They probably won't, true, but I know they'll be willing to help you."

"That's good. …Argh, these headaches. They won't…stop. And these bandages are rather…uncomfortable. Any idea when I can remove them?"

"Sorry, I haven't asked the doctor about that yet. But I will when I leave. I have to speak with him anyway."

"Alright… Damn it, Kieran must've given this flu to me when he puked on my legs. And now…I'm blind and helpless too…"

The paladin's words trailed off as his labored breathing turned ragged with anger and despair. Then, with a snarl, he tore one fist free of Elincia's gentle grip and smashed it into the stone floor. Though the young queen grimaced at the notion of how much that must've hurt the stricken paladin, he didn't even seem to notice the pain.

"All those years," he fumed, though Elincia suspected his tirade was not directed at her…nor, perhaps, at anyone who walked the physical plane. "All those years of clawing my way above my past, and it all gets snatched away in an instant. Why…? Why me?!"

Tears began trailing down Geoffrey's cheeks as he drove his fist into the unyielding stone once more, this time so hard that Elincia swore she heard bones cracking.

"Geoffrey… I know this must be so hard for you. I'm really sorry," Elincia sympathized, and then smiled. "But you'll get your sight back someday! I know it, because I found the answer just last night."

At this, Geoffrey's eyes lit up.

"You do? You mean…Kieran was able to help after all?"

"He was indeed. As I'd hoped, he told me that not only did he once suffer the same temporary blindness you're going through, but that there's a remedy. His family spoke to a priest who was creating new medicines, and he allowed them to copy down a formula for a cure. Kieran says that this medicine could restore your sight within a week or two."

"Truly? Where is this formula?"

"I have it right here. Kieran had been keeping it in his chambers all this time."

"…Well, I'll be damned. I never would have guessed that. Kieran never seemed to care too much about actually treating his cuts and bruises, just collecting them."

"Haha, yeah, I thought the same thing. He, ah, told me that he was…_persuaded_ to keep it on hand, and none too gently. But in all seriousness, I'm sure the doctor can make this. However, I'm worried that you might not be able to take it with the flu medicine. The two could react badly in your system and might cause even worse problems."

Geoffrey's elation seemed to falter for an instant, but he seemed to regain his composure a moment later. Still, Elincia was hardly pleased to see grim determination replace his half-formed smile.

"Oh…" he uttered, his tone purposefully flat. "Well, if I have to wait a bit longer, then I will."

"It might not come to that, but only the doctor is likely to know," Elincia offered, hoping this might offer some reassurance. "Well, I must be going now. I'll come back later, okay?"

"That's fine with me, your majesty."

"Good. Now, you need more rest. And remember, if you need anything at all, just yell for someone."

"Of course."

With that, Elincia replaced the gloves where she'd found them and departed the room in search of the doctor and Lucia to tell them of the recipe as well. Elincia suspected that Lucia would definitely be much relieved once she knew that Geoffrey had a real chance of regaining his sight, since even she probably didn't relish the idea of having to care for her brother for even a few weeks, let alone the rest of her life. Besides, the sight of vomit in Geoffrey's room hadn't exactly given Elincia an appetite for breakfast.

As Elincia made her way out of the infirmary, she chose to seek out the doctor first. Lucia's long vigil over her comatose brother had likely taxed her to the limit, as she'd passed those two days with little food and even less rest. The swordmaster likely still needed her sleep, though it was doubtful she'd get much rest. However, on the heels of that musing came another. Considering that Lucia now had the combined duties of leading the Royal Knights and caring for Geoffrey while he remained blind, Elincia didn't expect her to be asleep for much longer. The doctor had claimed that, once he'd recovered enough, Geoffrey might be able to adapt to his blindness and learn how to manage on his own. But, until then, the swordmaster would be quite busy. As Geoffrey himself had pointed out, Lucia would have to bring him his meals and changes of clothes, give him his medicine, and help him dress and assist him with his grooming. And on top of all that, she also had to ensure that the knights fulfilled their duties and that the squires didn't fall behind in their training. Not to mention that all this was in addition to Lucia's normal duties. Elincia knew this would be a monumental task for anyone, even someone as clever and capable as her milk sister. Even so, however, the queen vowed to help Lucia as best she could.

Sometime later, Elincia finally found the doctor making his rounds as he checked on the various flu patients. With the castle's own supplies of medicine all but gone, those that could not be regularly medicated needed to be frequently examined to see if their condition might be worsening. She excitedly approached him and produced Kieran's formula. The doctor was visibly surprised by Elincia's find, and eagerly looked it over.

"Well? Do we have all of the ingredients listed?" Elincia inquired moments later, clear anticipation in her voice.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I can check the medical supply room to see," the doctor replied. "But if we don't, I know where we can get all of these items."

"Oh, that's good. So, do you think this medicine will work for Geoffrey the same way it did for Kieran?"

At first, the doctor didn't seem to hear her. Something on the parchment seemed to arrest his attention, and a clear expression of skepticism dawned on his features.

"What's wrong?" Elincia wondered, a sudden chill running up her spine.

"Forgive me, your highness," the doctor replied after a long pause. "But, this formula seems…well…_peculiar_. There are a number of herbs specified here whose usage in medicine strikes me as odd. I have never seen parsley and cilantro seeds used in medicine before. Also, the herb known as Golden Infinity and the shrub known as Horsetail Grass are listed as well. Golden Infinity is known to constrict blood flow, something I have rarely seen benefit a patient…but, I've seen it do the opposite often enough. And, though I've seen Horsetail Grass used to treat arthritis, I've never heard of it benefitting a victim of head trauma."

"Are…you saying this might this might not help Geoffrey after all?" Elincia asked, barely able to get the words past a sudden lump in her throat.

"I said it was "peculiar," your majesty. I did not say it was "impossible"," the doctor corrected, though this gave Elincia little cause for hope as he returned the parchment. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but there is more on the page."

As Elincia accepted the parchment, she noted a passage which she had overlooked earlier. The handwriting of this portion was different than the rest, and Elincia found herself wondering if the priest whom Kieran had mentioned might've penned it. Though the writing was shaky and blurred by an occasional splatter of ink, she could make out that these were additional notes on Blindsight. From what she could make out, the author believed that an edema of the brain, that is, the brain swelling from excess fluid, likely contributed to his patients' loss of vision. The notes went on to say that the author had discovered certain herbs which could manipulate ones bodily fluids, normalizing their flow or constricting it to relieve the pressure that might form an edema.

This caught Elincia's eye, for couldn't a swelling of the brain be the root of Geoffrey's headaches? Jerec had suffered similarly when he'd contracted Brain Fever, and Rhys _did_ mention that massive head trauma could have been cause.

The notes went on to confirm Kieran's concerns about causing Brain Fever in the patient, but only if administered too soon. The Horsetail Grass, allegedly, could be used to reduce inflammation in the brain, but an improper dosage could actually produce the opposite effect. The red-armored knight _had_ mentioned that it was nearly a week before he'd received it, and there had been no ill effects. Would the same hold true for Geoffrey after only two days?

Yet, even as she asked the question, she already knew the answer.

"I want you to prepare this medicine," she affirmed, insistently handing the formula back to the doctor. "I know Geoffrey well enough to know that, if there was a chance, no matter how slim, that he could regain his sight, he'd want to take it. Besides, Kieran took this same concoction when he found himself in Geoffrey's situation, and he recovered. Kieran is a lot of things, but he's not a liar."

"With all due respect, your majesty," the doctor cautioned, his expression becoming stern as he accepted the parchment, "Kieran's penchant for cranial trauma _could_ have addled his recollection. And, for all either of us know, this concoction could make General Geoffrey's condition worse."

"Maybe, but I stand by what I said earlier. If it helps, I _can_ make that an order."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, she had to fight back the urge the bite her tongue. Even though she was a queen, Elincia still found herself repulsed with some of the harsher realities of her crown. When Geoffrey, Lucia and Bastian had pledged to her their loyalty following the battle of Castle Delbray, it had been freely given, out of friendship and love as much as for her royal blood.

By contrast, getting the doctor to use this dubious mixture on a patient had required her to use her crown the way a drover would his staff; to prod and goad someone into obeying her wishes, regardless of their reservations.

Again, Elincia hoped that such instances would be few and far between…but, she also found herself fearing that such was wishful thinking.

After a long pause, however, the doctor relented with a grave nod. The young queen discreetly let out a sigh of relief, inwardly praying that her decision would prove to be the right one.

"Also, I had another thought," Elincia belatedly continued. "Is there any way to know if Geoffrey will be at greater risk if he takes both this and the flu medicine at the same time?"

The doctor paused a moment to massage his forehead, and the young queen could not help but suspect herself of being behind this latest sign of his discomfiture.

"Yes, that's possible. But I believe we can test that by mixing them in a separate container," the doctor explained. "That way, we can see if and how they will react with one another at all without endangering a patient."

"Ah, yes. I wish I'd have thought of that sooner."

"Don't worry about it, your majesty. I must admit, I'm still skeptical about this concoction. And, I frankly think that waiting to see if General Geoffrey's condition corrects itself is the wiser option. However, I believe you might be right when you say that he would want us to do this, even if it might now work. And, in any case, I must confess some surprise that you discovered this at all. It's incredible what you can find on a simple hunch."

"Or in one person's belongings," Elincia added with a chuckle, hoping to ease the tension that her demand might've created.

"Ha, yeah, the formula _did_ come from of Kieran's chambers, of all places. Well, I'll let you know what I find in the medical supply room. Meanwhile, you should tell Lady Lucia about this."

"Oh, I was going to do that right after talking to you. Also, before I forget, Geoffrey wants to know when he can take his bandages off. He said they're kind of uncomfortable."

"Ah, he should be able to soon, but I need to check his wound first. I'll be heading to his room shortly."

"That's good to know. I'll see you later then."

The doctor nodded and, despite a sense of foreboding from their earlier conversation, Elincia then departed to seek out Lucia. With luck, the swordmaster was still in her chambers, only just now waking up. This would spare Elincia the trouble of having to seek her out, and Lucia could certainly use a little more sleep. The queen quickly headed up the nearest staircase to the floor on which Lucia's chambers were located, eager to tell her that Geoffrey might very well regain his sight now. Despite the doctor's reservations, and how she regretted more-or-less ordering him to concoct the medicine, she found herself somehow certain that the stricken paladin's affliction would soon be over. Hopefully, Lucia's worries would be eased by this news, and she wouldn't deprive herself of food or rest anymore. At least, Elincia hoped so. With everything that was going on, no one could predict when a new situation might arise.

When Elincia approached Lucia's doors minutes later and knocked gently, she was pleased to hear her milk sister reply immediately. By the sound of it, Lucia had just gotten up and was getting dressed. She called out to the young queen, saying that Geoffrey was probably getting hungry by now and wishing for some breakfast. Elincia didn't doubt it for a moment; with so few healthy people remaining in the castle, it now took some time to cook meals, and even longer to deliver them to those who were bedridden. Like as not, the long toil at one end of the problem and the lengthy waits at the other had contributed much to the rise in foul tempers which the doctor and maid had reported just after Geoffrey's accident. When Lucia finally emerged from her chambers, Elincia felt some relief to note that, although a far cry from her usual self, her milk sister at least looked better than she had last night. The young queen immediately relayed the news of Kieran's formula. She considered whether or not to reveal the doctor's reservations but, after a moment's consideration, settled for saying only that the doctor had agreed to concoct the medicine.

"Oh, this is wonderful, your majesty!" Lucia replied when the queen finished, promptly pulling Elincia into a tight hug. "This means Geoffrey should get his sight back soon enough after all. I'll have to thank Kieran personally for this. He's saved my brother from losing his life's work when I could do little to help besides try and ease his pain as best I could."

"I quite agree! I'm so happy as well," Elincia related, hoping fate would not prove her wrong. "The doctor should be able to tell whether we have all the required ingredients or not soon. Hopefully, we won't have to get any of them from outside sources. But whatever the case, while this is going on, we have to keep alert for the delivery of the flu medicine from Ike and Bastian."

"Ah, yes, of course. Also, the knights already know of Geoffrey's head injury, so they'll likely receive word of his blindness and that formula sooner or later. Kieran will probably be named a hero among them for this."

"You know, I believe you're right. Goddess bless Kieran's soul. He's a brave and noble man. I'm not always sure if he's a sane man, but he is brave and noble. Whatever girl wins his heart, if that happens, will be most fortunate."

"I hear that. Though, even if she can compete with Kieran's love of victory and recognition, she'd probably be treating his injuries all hours."

"Heh, yeah, that's definitely true. Though, truth be told, I don't know if Kieran even thinks about women at all. Sometimes I think you're right that he's more in love with his axe and proving himself to the best."

"Haha, yeah, but I've seen him interact with girls before. Especially Marcia. Remember her? The Pegasus knight from Begnion? They seemed to become pretty good friends, and Kieran really started to admire her after she helped care for his horse when it took ill. I overheard them talking about it during the war. And trust me, Kieran's a hard man to impress."

"You know, now that I think about it, they _did _seem to work well together. And, what's more, Marcia would be a good match for him. She showed a great deal of persistence and loyalty when she was searching for Makalov…even if she did go ballistic when she found out the nonsense he'd been up to. And, she might actually teach Kieran how to keep his head mortared on straight, and unscathed, in battle. If Marcia is the lucky girl, then I'm sure they'll be very happy with each other."

"I agree. Well, I should get downstairs now. I don't want to keep Geoffrey waiting too long."

"Yeah, or he might wither away to nothing. Hee hee."

"Oh hush. Though, I swear, if that boy starts taking advantage of this just to get on my nerves, he'll lose more than just his sight."

"Hee hee, he should mind himself then. Anyway, I'll see you later. There's a great deal to do, especially since we're still quite short-handed on castle staff."

"Alright, I just hope you don't overwork yourself."

"Honestly? I'm more worried about _you_ doing that."

"Oh, I'll be fine, don't worry. See you."

With that, the two women headed downstairs and went their separate ways. Despite what Lucia had said, however, a snickering Elincia couldn't quite rule out Geoffrey choosing to take advantage of his sister caring for him. After all, it would be a good way for him to get back at her for all the times she'd teased and embarrassed him the night before. The queen giggled as the thought wended its way through her mind, and she could already envision Lucia soon being tempted to follow through on her earlier threat. Geoffrey was normally polite and was typically adverse to taking advantage of people for any reason, but the notion of doing so to turn the tables on his ever-jibbing sister would surely cross his mind at the very least. Elincia then began to imagine what their relationship had been like as young children before she was born. Lucia had implied the previous evening that Geoffrey cared deeply for her, and Lucia's vigil over her comatose brother made it clear that the feeling was mutual; but, the young queen wouldn't be surprised if the paladin had also been an annoying little brother when he was small. Though Elincia was an only child, she quickly learned from Ike and his younger sister, Mist, that younger brothers and sisters could often be quite irritating to their elder siblings.

Yet, rather than make her wish that her late parents had had more children, that musing only made her thankful for her aqua-haired milk siblings.

Time passed languidly as Elincia lent her aid wherever it was needed in the castle. She prepared food in the kitchen, soaked dirty laundry and strung it up to dry, and put her hand toward other various tasks alongside the remaining servants and maids. Once again, there was quite a bit of surprise at the sight of the queen helping to cook meals, clean rooms, and wash clothes; but, this was promptly forgotten when Elincia offered more stories of her time in the war. Soon enough, the doctor found the queen again. If he was still distressed by her insistence that he concoct the questionable elixir, he showed no sign as he relayed his findings in the medical supply room. Fortunately, the castle did indeed have all the required herbs other substances needed for the medicine, and Geoffrey's days of blindness might soon be numbered. He also said that preparing it would be no problem for him, but it would take some time. Concocting medications required extreme caution and precision even under normal circumstances. For an elixir that the doctor was gravely dubious about, he was not leaving anything to chance. One mistake, such as miscalculating how much of a single ingredient to use or adding the wrong ingredient at the wrong time, could render the medicine impotent or cause it to do more harm than good. Elincia understood, and was glad that she would not have to ask Ike or Bastian to go traipsing all over Crimea any more than they were already.

As the doctor was about to depart, however, he abruptly stopped and turned around. His expression was still purposefully blank but, when he spoke, there was a hint of apology in his tone.

"As it turns out, your faith in Kieran was justified," the doctor admitted. "Well making my rounds amongst the flue patients, I spoke with one of my fellow doctors about the ingredients I'd found questionable. He informed me that they'd been successfully used during the war to treat edemas. If an edema of the brain is at the root of General Geoffrey's blindness, and I suspect so at this point, then that medicine might not only restore his sight, but alleviate the swelling in his brain. By forcing that formula on me, you probably just saved his life. Twice, in a manner of speaking. It seems I owe you an apology."

A hint of redness colored Elincia's cheeks as she, in turn, apologized for using her crown as leverage to silence his protests. As though sensing how much she detested doing so, the doctor chuckled and said that, if she _did_ like it, then he'd consider it cause for concern. With that, he departed and left Elincia to her unlikely duties.

As she continued her work, Elincia actually found herself in a good mood despite so many people in the castle still being ill and her labors and storytelling leaving her hands nearly raw and her voice raspy. As far as she could tell, the end of this nightmare was finally in sight. All that needed to be done was ensuring that the additional medicine arrived without incident, distributing it to the sick, and eventually they would all recover and the epidemic would be over. Geoffrey would recover completely as well thanks to both that medication and the one that her talk with Kieran had provided. And maybe, just maybe, once it was all over, Elincia could find the time to plan a date with Ike. It would be one that lasted a good few days, at least, and a memorable few days at that. Elincia was most anxious to see her love again; but, not just because she adored him and missed him every hour they spent apart, but also to thank him for all his help as well. Ike had comforted Elincia the night she'd quarreled with Geoffrey and Lucia, offered her his counsel on how to resolve the tensions between her and her milk siblings, and he was even now working hard to gather medicine for her alongside Bastian as well. As for what the couple would do and where they'd go, the two would have to wait to plan that until the time came.

Even so, just the thought brought a love-struck smile to Elincia's face.

As she was dusting a long-vacant guest room, however, a castle guard soon barged in and rushed over to her.

"Your majesty, I'm afraid we have a problem," he quickly spoke up.

"Ohhh, what now?" Elincia groaned.

"Well, I just received word that the delivery of the medicine you ordered is going to be delayed," the guard explained.

"What?! What do you mean? Why?!"

"Unfortunately, there was an accident while it was en route. The wagon Count Bastian sent was traveling alongside the one driven by two members of the Greil Mercenaries and a bad storm rolled in. It turned out to be worse than any of them had expected and Count Bastian's wagon was blown over. It collided with the one the Greil Mercenaries were using. All the crates inside fell out and broke open, causing every flask inside to shatter. No one was severely harmed, but I'm afraid all that medicine has been lost."

"…Oh for goddess's sake," Elincia opined, bringing a hand to her forehead. "I can't believe this! It seems that every time things start looking better, another situation arises! Can't we ever get a break?"

"I hear you, your majesty. Both Count Bastian and Sir Ike have promised to have more delivered as soon as possible, and they have more crates ready to be shipped, but no one can be certain when we'll have enough medicine for all the sick now. Not to mention time will be lost in salvaging the wagons."

"That's true… Hopefully, though, some locals will volunteer to pitch in and help get that done faster. The more time we waste, the more likely that these patients' conditions could worsen."

"I agree. But thankfully, I also bring a little good news about the situation. Because so much medicine was lost, Sir Ike and Count Bastian realize that they'll have to make up for lost time. They've sent out messengers to rally volunteers to help in gathering and producing more to replace what was lost. Count Bastian is going to work with local doctors, apothecaries, and priests while Sir Ike will have his healers join this effort. In addition, he'll be putting his good name to good use by contacting any herbalists he can find to acquire their stock, so that there's enough material available for making the medicine."

"Ah, that's wonderful. I'm glad to know they're working so hard. And it's a good thing Ike decided to contact the herbalists. The ingredients in this medicine are pretty common, but we'll likely need more than the doctors, priests, and apothecaries can produce with their own stores. In the meantime, however, we'll just have to care for our patients as best as we can. Even if we can't cure them, there are other ways to soothe their symptoms."

"Of course, your majesty. And if the remaining soldiers and I can help in any way, just give the word. The same goes for the Royal Knights who are still on their feet. We are aware that the castle staff is short-handed…actually, it's kinda hard _not_ to notice. Also, the knights are concerned for General Geoffrey's well-being. We'll all do whatever you need us to."

"Oh, I thank you all so much. I'll be sure to let you know if I find jobs for you. Although, I can only accept a few of you at a time because we still need many of the guards to remain at their posts so that no one tries to get in or out."

"Understood. And you're welcome, your majesty."

With that, the soldier departed the room, leaving Elincia to return to her duties. The queen merely sighed as she continued to attack dust motes, her earlier good mood now gone. She and the others now had to wait longer for the medicine to arrive, after everyone in the castle had already been pressed to their limits. What's more, Ike, Bastian, and those aiding them now had even greater labors before them than when they'd started, and all because of a cruel whimsy of fate. Elincia really didn't like having to rely so heavily on them but, with everyone still trapped in the castle and working themselves to the bone, herself included, she had no choice. Despite the young queen's efforts to help the flu patients, it seemed that her attempts always fell short. She had been unable to prevent the flu from spreading throughout nearly the entire castle and she had unwittingly allowed many people inside to attempt escape. Although no one had succeeded in getting out, their attempts had caused the illness to spread by leaps and bounds.

The day went by gratingly as the remaining castle staff continued their work. Because there were so few people still healthy, even with Elincia and Lucia lending their aid, many worked hours into the night to complete what daily duties they could. Elincia also helped her milk sister care for Geoffrey in addition to doing other tasks around the castle. Geoffrey was a little embarrassed at the idea of having to be helped into clean night clothes that evening by two women, but he would've felt even more uncomfortable had it been a random servant or maid instead. Earlier in the day, Elincia also overheard some maids voicing their displeasure at having to clean up the mess Geoffrey had left on the floor in his room. She honestly couldn't blame them, but she also still felt sorry for poor Geoffrey since until he had his sight back, such incidents would likely be frequent. The queen was glad she got to his room when she had, or he might have continued to paint the floor in hideous colors.

By the time Elincia had been ready to go to bed, however, she was so exhausted that she couldn't even change out of her gown. All she did was remove her shoes and flop down onto her bed. She was fast asleep within minutes. Her final train of thought before sleep claimed her began with the resolution that, the first chance she'd get, she'd make sure those of the castle staff at whose side she'd worked were given a raise. Although it was doubtful that the queen could deliver on any promise to never make any of the staff work too hard, raising their salaries and ensuring that they were not mistreated was more likely, and would likely be even better for them. That musing led to another. Even though they might not necessarily deserve it, Elincia found herself wondering if the disgruntled nobles also merited different treatment as well. It was no secret that they disagreed with her on many issues, not the least of which being the laguz; but, perhaps a change of tone would induce them to be more reasonable.

Though the young queen would never compromise on her vow to finish what her father and lord uncle had started, she did find herself thinking that the toil might be lightened if the nobles could be persuaded to adopt her viewpoint. Dealing with them as a partner seeking mutual benefit, rather than something akin to a scolding school-mistress, might help to make that happen. Perhaps discovering and revealing the benefits of pursuing relations with the laguz, which these nobles might profit from, could do much to bridge the divide. And, it might even be worth the effort, since any nobles who came over to her side could contribute resources and ideas to her pursuits.

Of course, what she _really_ wanted from them was a rousing show of approval for her to marry Ike. But, even if they were slow to grant that particular wish, she knew her beloved mercenary well enough to know that, if a little coaxing and bargaining helped to bring the races closer together, then he would consider it labor well spent.

Still, her mind was too weary from laboring at stove and wash tub, and could not maintain that train of thought for long before she nodded off. Thankfully, however, there likely would not be much work left to do in the morning, since much of it had been done throughout the past few days. Elincia really only needed to check on flu patients and those that were well, help Lucia attend to Geoffrey again, and hopefully, bring in the long awaited crates of flu medicine at last.

When morning arrived at last, Elincia awoke to the sun shining brightly through her windows. Its beams of light teased at her eyes until they fluttered open. When she glanced out the nearest window, however, she noticed the sun was high in the sky. It was clearly long past dawn. Elincia's eyes widened as she leaped out of bed, fearing that she'd overslept. Though she realized that this was perfectly understandable due to her exhaustion from the long, toilsome night before, but Elincia hardly wanted to sleep through the delivery of the medicine or fail to help Lucia as she'd promised. She quickly changed into a clean, but expendable gown, brushed out her hair, donned her shoes, and rushed out of the room. Right as Elincia opened the door, however, she found Lucia herself standing just beyond.

"Oh, your majesty! I was about to see if you were up yet. It's half past ten bells!" the swordmaster reported.

"Oh dear, really?! I'm so sorry I slept so late," Elincia replied sheepishly. "It's just that I was so exhausted last night…"

"Don't worry, I understand. I already gave Geoffrey his breakfast an hour and half ago as well. He seems to be doing better, since he received your good news the other day, and he felt well enough to eat. I've told him to eat slowly so as not to upset his stomach too much again, and so far, he hasn't thrown up much at all."

"Alright, that's good. Is there anything else we should do for him?"

"Well, Geoffrey seems to be getting his jollies. He wants a bath later, and snacks every now and then. I swear, he's already been in bed for two days, and he's going to get fat if he keeps this up. Not that this stops him from complaining of boredom and loneliness and of course, those uncomfortable bandages. And whenever I come down, all he has to say is 'I need this' and 'I need that.' I'm starting to think he really _is_ trying to irritate me."

"Sounds like it's working," Elincia opined, snickering at Lucia's answering growl. "Seriously though, you can't entirely blame him, you know. He's been cooped up in that room all by himself because we're so busy. But maybe we can find some spare time to give him some company later."

"Yeah, that's true. And that's a good idea. I told him, though, that he's still too sick to drag himself to his bathroom upstairs, so I've decided to send for maids to bring a tub to his infirmary room. We'll bathe him there. Maybe _that_ will teach him some manners."

"Mkay, sounds good to me. Hee hee, giving Geoffrey a bath makes me feel like a mother with her child."

"Heh, well, don't tell him that. You know how he is about that stuff, with how much he hated his childhood. Believe me. But…"

"Hm?"

"He's got a secret. One that he might not have even told you."

"Oh? I'm not so sure about that. Geoffrey and I have told each other lots of things that we wouldn't tell anyone else besides you, and in my case, Ike."

"Well, listen to this. When he was little, he always carried around a stuffed horse he got from Mother. He loved it dearly, took the thing everywhere he could. He called it Silver after our father's horse and voiced all the time about how he wanted to ride one when he grew up, just like Father. Geoffrey has loved horses more than any other animal ever since he first laid eyes on one, and he never let that stuffed horse out of his sight. He even took it to bed with him every night."

"Oh, he's told me that. He showed me the horse when we were kids."

Here, Lucia paused and, upon her face, appeared a grin that Elincia had long since known meant only one thing: trouble, and plenty of it.

"Ah, but that's not the secret," she whispered conspiratorially. "Did he tell you that he still has it?"

"…Oh," Elincia blurted, suddenly clenching her teeth to stifle her giggles. "No, he didn't. I had no idea…but, then again, that was probably the point. Where does he keep it?"

"He has it in his chambers, deep in his closet. Really deep. I know because I caught him packing it when he first left home to become a knight. He made me promise never to tell anyone and, present moment excepted, I've kept that promise, because I know what the knights would make of such a thing."

"Ah, I see. It seems that despite how mature Geoffrey is, there's still a little boy deep inside him too. Hee hee."

"Yup, and he'll never admit it. Hehe. I'm going to bring him Silver as well, because I'm sure it would make him feel less lonely. That little boy in Geoffrey is one with troubles, and I think what's happened has likely opened some old wounds. I bet he does want Silver. He just didn't mention it for fear of someone overhearing."

"Ah, probably. I'll meet you there later, I need to help check on Kieran and the other patients first."

"Oh! That reminds me. A guard also said to let you know that the medicine has fially arrived. It just got here half an hour ago. Both Ike and Bastian's deliveries made it safely, and have been hidden near the bottom of the slope that runs alongside the castle."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'll go bring them inside right away."

"Alright, but you might want to do so…discreetly, so that nobody tries anything funny. Maybe disguise yourself as some random castle merchant or something?"

"Ah, good idea. I'll do that. I'll be at Geoffrey's room as soon as I can."

Lucia nodded and Elincia quickly went back into her chambers. She grabbed a hooded brown cloak, which she'd often used when she needed to hide her identity, and draped it over herself. Afterward, she rushed downstairs and headed for the royal stables. There, she would find a small cart and a horse so she could transport the crates of medicine. During the journey, the soldier who'd alerted her to Ike and Bastian's shared mishap caught up with her and, at long last, provided her with a way to transport the medicine inside without any would-be escapees getting suspicious. Apparently, Castle Crimea had a number of concealed side doors called postern gates. These had been cleverly designed for use in the event of a siege, to allow the defenders to exit and reenter the castle without opening the main gates, so that they could launch hit-and-run attacks and strike the besiegers from the flank. What's more, the postern gates were designed to blend into the walls so that, when closed, they were practically invisible.

With much embarrassment, the soldier admitted that the gates were designed well enough to fool even the castle's defenders, and he'd only discovered it by pure accident when he'd chanced upon a draft of air coming through what appeared to be a solid wall.

After giving the blushing soldier more than enough thanks to assuage his abashment, Elincia immediately approached one of the stalls for the stocky cart horses. Finding a brown horse that looked more than equal to the task, she opened the stall, led the horse out and harnessed it to one of the carts stored nearby. Afterward, she quickly led horse and cart towards the postern gate. Hopefully, since the soldier told her that the gate was large enough to accommodate a knight on horseback, her cart could also get through. Hopefully, nobody would recognize her or take too much interest in why she was guiding her horse toward a wall. So far, that brown cloak had proved successful in hiding the queen's identity, but Elincia knew she'd be pressing her luck if anybody actually questioned her.

Elincia only needed to direct the cart toward the wall which the soldier had indicated and then briefly scrutinize the wall to find what she sought. On one of the otherwise immaculate marble tiles that made up the wall, there was a tiny splotch of what looked like blood. Remembering the soldier's instructions, she gently pressed against it. There was a soft click, followed by a clonk, and a sliver of sunlight lanced through what had, beforehand, been a solid wall. After discovering that she could push the door open without assistance, she guided the horse through the opening and down the gentle slope beyond. The slope was overgrown with trees, allowing her to journey down unseen, and waiting for her at the bottom were a dozen crates, probably packed to the rim with flasks of freshly prepared flu medicine. Elincia smiled and immediately began hurriedly loading them onto the cart. It could only hold up to five of those crates, so she was going to have to make at least a few trips. She didn't mind this, however, as long as the medicine got to the flu patients in time. Once her cart was fully laden, Elincia quickly directed the horse back up the slope, through the postern gate, and to the stables so she could deliver the precious medicine to the castle. Since the cart was now much heavier than before, it took a little longer to move the load back up the slope and return to the stables. But Elincia made the journey and began unloading the crates without hesitation. Before she brought them inside, however, she decided to check them all to make sure none of the flasks had been mistakenly damaged or stolen. She did so one at a time.

After opening the first crate she had placed on the cart at the gate, however, Elincia spotted something tucked between the flasks nearest to the crate's bottom. It looked like a folded sheet of parchment. The queen quickly pulled it out and opened it. It was a letter, and within seconds, Elincia could tell it was from her beloved Ike. She smiled as she began to read. It wrote:

_To my fair Queen Elincia,_

_ Firstly, I deeply apologize for what had happened to the first batch of medicine. That storm turned out to be more dangerous than we expected, and Oscar and Titania were lucky not to have been hurt. But I kept to my promise and had them deliver the second batch we managed to stockpile. We'll keep on collecting and delivering the medicine until you send word that you have enough. And because of the wagon accident, we chose not to take any other jobs until your situation is under control. Until you have all the medicine you need, I am at your disposal. Just like old times, eh? Also, Bastian and I heard about Geoffrey's accident, and we'd really like to know how he's doing. And, if possible, we want to visit him when the castle reopens to the public. I'll even bring him a present if I can. He's been through too much lately. I also hope Kieran gets well soon too, the poor guy. Well, I hope to hear from you again real soon. You'll always be the queen of my heart._

_ I love you,_

_ Ike_

Elincia's smile grew wider as she hugged the letter to her chest.

"Oh, Ike…" she uttered. "You're so sweet. I love you with all my heart."

Elincia's better judgment spoke up then, reminding her that any letters from Ike could prove damning in the wrong hands, especially since Ike hadn't bothered to disguise his handwriting or to leave the note unsigned or its contents innocuous. But, that voice was quickly drowned out by the knowledge that, at long last, the castle's sick could be treated. She was about to begin hauling the crates inside the castle when the door nearby opened. Out came the same soldier that had alerted Elincia of the wagon accident Ike had spoken of in his letter and revealed the postern gate. Elincia whirled to face him, only to have her hood fall down in the process, exposing herself to the startled man's eyes.

"Oh, your majesty," the guard greeted, suddenly realizing that it would be prudent to keep his voice down. "I'm glad I found you. I see my discovery of that postern gate paid off. I'm very glad. I also thought I'd give you a hand since my shift has ended."

"Ah, you're just in time then! I'm glad to accept your help," Elincia replied with a smile.

"Great, I'll get started right away then," the soldier agreed, though his expression abruptly faltered. "Oh, but… I also have a confession to make…"

"Oh? What's wrong?"

"Well… That letter in your hand. I…I saw it."

"W-Wait, what?"

The guard cringed before continuing, no doubt fearing he was in store for a memorable reprimand.

"…I was the one who informed Lady Lucia of the arrival of the medicine," he admitted. "Before that, I checked to make sure that the delivery was what we had been waiting for. When I opened the first crate, I saw the letter tucked inside. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to see it. I just wanted to make sure it was from Sir Ike or Count Bastian. But I shouldn't have…intruded."

"Oh…" Elincia uttered, mingled relief and trepidation warring in her guts.

Could this soldier be trusted not to reveal her affair? His apologetic expression and abashed manner suggested that he wasn't particularly inclined to spread this secret, especially since it see him severely disciplined. With a deep, indrawn breath, she decided to take another gamble.

After all, between surviving the Mad King's War, much less winning it, and keeping the epidemic under some semblance of control, much less finding a solution for both it and Geoffrey's Blindsight, she was willing to trust her luck.

"Don't worry," she assured. "You're not going to be punished for it. That would be pointless. If this conversation stays between us, that will be perfectly fine."

"Ah, alright," the solider rasped, nearly sagging with relief. "Thank you. Though, if you'll pardon my asking, you and Sir Ike are deeply in love, aren't you?"

"Uh… Well… Yes… We love each other…so much. But please, you can't—!"

"Your majesty, relax. I would never reveal your secret, at least to anyone that would put that knowledge to ill use. I can very well understand why you both would not make this public."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, absolutely. Sir Ike was a fine general and he saved both you and our country. He should have every right to be your husband, if you both desire. Yet as we both know, there are plenty who would strongly disagree because of his heritage. But even so, I believe you two would do great things for Crimea should you rule together."

"I see… Prince Consort would be the title Ike would choose. But I greatly appreciate your words. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure, your majesty. Now, shall we get these crates inside?"

"Oh, yes, let's hurry. The sooner we bring them all in, the sooner those patients can get the medicine."

"Understood."

With that, Elincia and the soldier resumed their task of hauling the crates into the castle. With the guard helping her, the task took Elincia barely half as long as she had originally expected. Within the next several minutes, all twelve crates were safely inside the castle and the medicine was ready to be distributed. Elincia then left to inform the doctor of this, and was glad to encounter him at Geoffrey's door in the infirmary, probably to give the general the remedy for his Blindsight. He was pleased to hear that the first shipment of medicine had finally arrived, and that he could now perform a test to see how it would react with Geoffrey's treatment. Elincia decided to join Lucia in Geoffrey's room to see how he was doing. She opened the door gently in case the general might be asleep, but was pleased to see him awake and looking much more at ease. Silver, the stuffed horse Elincia and Lucia had spoken of earlier, was sitting on the bed between Geoffrey and the wall.

It was the first time in years that Elincia had seen Silver, and she had nearly forgotten what he looked like. He was a brown horse, oddly similar to the one Elincia had appropriated for retrieving the medicine, with a black mane and a tail that were made out of yarn. He wore a fabric saddle, trapping, and reins that looked much like the ones the knights' horses wore, though many of their steeds were white as well as brown. Elincia hadn't see this stuffed horse practically since she and Geoffrey were still children, yet Silver looked to be in nearly the same condition as he was all those years ago. Aside from a few loose stitches that Geoffrey would likely have fixed eventually, and with considerable secrecy, the horse looked almost new. Although, Elincia did wonder how Geoffrey kept Silver clean without the wash maids knowing about him.

"Aw, Silver's just as adorable as I remember him!" Elincia gushed. "And you've taken such good care of him, Geoffrey."

"Ah, Queen Elincia," Geoffrey greeted. "Yeah, though I wish Lucia would have consulted me first before bringing him in here. She's lucky only the doctor has seen him so far. He thought it was some sort of therapy to help develop my sense of touch to compensate for the loss of my eyesight. It didn't make much sense, but I was just relieved that he was fooled."

"Oh, I knew you wanted him! You never sleep anywhere without that horse," Lucia pointed out with a chuckle.

"I…I do so!" Geoffrey retorted, his cheeks going pink. "I'm just glad to have him right now because I'm so bored and lonely in here!"

"Suuure."

"Oh, shut up!"

Elincia merely giggled at the quarreling siblings.

"I understand, Geoffrey," she said with a smile. "Though, you could have told me you still had him. You know I wouldn't have told anyone else."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," Geoffrey admitted. "I was just afraid that you'd think me as childish about it as Lucia does."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. I'm sure lots of people have old belongings that they can't let go of. After all, when you were little and had your…troubles, Silver was probably one of the few things that made you happy."

A smile, though one somewhat guarded, tugged at the corners of Geoffrey's mouth.

"True. But you know, I don't keep Silver just because he was my favorite childhood toy, or just because I like horses. He's all I've got left of my parents, more specifically my mother. And…when I started…having issues…he helped to calm me down. Back then, I thought a stuffed animal would be the only friend I'd have. But, I'm glad I was wrong, and even more so that you found a way to restore my sight. Still, I'd much prefer this stayed between us."

"My lips are sealed. Besides, I'd even be surprised if Kieran didn't still have some childhood relics stashed around. He and I actually had a chat about his youth when I asked him if he could help you, and he told me some interesting tidbits."

She then went on to explain how Kieran had "appropriated" his first horse from the family's pasture, and had quickly learned that, when it came to horses and their riders, size _did_ matter.

"Oh, good grief!" Lucia chortled. "Even back then, he was so rambunctious."

"Look who's talking!" Geoffrey opined. "Don't you remember the time you put that snake in our nanny's skirt pocket?"

Elincia's mouth dropped open at this claim, and then threatened to hit the floor when Lucia retorted by saying "At least it wasn't a frog, like you did with Grandma."

Before long, the young queen was near to fainting with laughter. And, when she shared Kieran's gaffe when he'd spoken of his rivalry with Oscar, her milk siblings were in much the same state. But, beyond the hilarity, she could not help but feel a sense of ease come over the small trio.

Perhaps, at long last, the air had been cleared between them.

"Well," Geoffrey spoke up at last, "as tempting as it is to ask the doctor if frogs really _can_ give people warts, as Grandma so adamantly insisted when she lectured me, I think it would be best we keep our secrets."

"Good," Lucia agreed.

"Though Geoffrey, I do wonder," Elincia spoke up. "How do you keep Silver clean and neatly stitched without the wash maids or seamstresses seeing him?"

"Ah, I do that myself," Geoffrey replied. "I watched my mother sew a lot when I was little, so I just did what she did. It's not that difficult, actually. Even back then, I had nimble fingers and a steady eye."

"You might not know this," Lucia cut in, "but my little brother here has quite a talent with cloth and leather. One day, when we were still little, Father came home from a hunting trip. He'd had a run-in with a bear, and it had torn up his leather jerkin. Father was ready to toss the thing out, for he suspected it was a loss, but Geoffrey had other ideas."

"There was actually a time when I considered being a craftsman rather than a knight," Geoffrey spoke up again. "There was this leatherworker's shop not far from our home, and the owner took a liking to me. He showed me his tools and how to use them, so I took the jerkin there and mended it."

"Mended it?" Elincia repeated, surprised. "A leather jerking torn apart by a bear? All by yourself?"

"Not just that," Lucia quipped. "He even added little metal studs, because he thought they'd make father look even tougher, in case that bear came back."

"Oh, I wouldn't have guessed you could do any of that."

"Heh," Geoffrey chuckled, smiling fully at last. "Well, now you know."

"Hee hee, yep. Oh, and by the way, I got a letter from Ike when the medicine was delivered today. He said that he and Bastian want to visit you when I reopen the castle to the public. Ike might even bring you a get-well present."

"Ah, that's wonderful. They're both welcome and I greatly appreciate it."

"Great! I'll let them know later when I send more messenger pigeons."

Time flew by as the two continued to reminiscence with Geoffrey. Elincia also learned that, in addition to leather and amphibians, Geoffrey also had some skill as a hunter. No stag could escape him, or so the paladin claimed; and he seemed quite eager to have Elincia and Lucia accompany him as he proved this once he'd recovered.

"I think Ike would like to come," Elincia remarked, a love-struck grin on her face.

"For you or the venison?" Lucia wondered teasingly.

"Hopefully not the latter," Geoffrey seconded. "He'd eat it all."

"Look who's talking!" Lucia retorted. "I swear, all that running back and forth between the kitchen fetching snacks for you. You do that just to get your jollies?"

"What else can I say? It worked."

"I still can't believe you ate all that either. I would serve you right if you had an acute attack of indigestion."

"Well, even if I couldn't actually see it, getting back at you at long last was worth it. Still, I think it would be good to spend some time with Ike. We didn't have much chance when Lucia and I first met him during the war, and I would like to see if he really _is_ good enough for my little sister."

"I don't think you'll be disappointed," Elincia remarked, her grin broadening from ear to ear.

Later on, as Lucia had mentioned, she and Elincia later helped the general to bathe. Geoffrey was a bit leery at the notion of stripping to his skin in front of the two ladies and then having them stand over him and help him scrub him down, but he felt that a hot bath might help to loosen joints still stiff from his coma. The doctor happened by later, though he thankfully had the presence of mind to knock first. Upon meeting with Elincia in the corridor, he revealed that his tests had showed no reaction between the flu medicine and the Blindsight remedy, so Geoffrey could take both without fear of adverse effects. Later that evening, he gave both medicines to the paladin and also removed his bandages. He advised Geoffrey that, if the medicine worked, he might experience some disorientation from the fluids in his brain shifting back to normal and that, later on, his vision would begin to progressively return. He warned, however, that Geoffrey's head would still need more time to fully heal, and that he had to be careful not to reinjure it.

As the next few days passed by, the rest of the medicine sent by Ike and Bastian arrived and since some patients were already recovering well by then, Elincia decided that the next shipment would be the last. Geoffrey's eyes, meanwhile, were also gradually improving. A few simple tests administered by the doctor, such as counting the number of fingers he held up and reading large print, had produced some encouraging results, though Geoffrey still could not yet see quite well enough to attend to his own needs. The first time he stood up from his bed to try leaving the infirmary room on his own, guiding by the lighter blur that represented the open door, amidst blurs more opaque, the door blew shut before he could reach it. Having lost his guiding landmark, he ran right into the edge of the doorway. Thankfully, he hadn't slammed into it hard enough to hurt himself again. Still, he eventually said that , in addition to differentiating between light and dark, he could make out the silhouettes of people and the shapes of large objects again.

Many servants and maids soon recovered enough to return to work as well, and Elincia could finally relieve herself of having to do many of their daily labors. Though she had enjoyed the reminder of simpler times, and the servants had loved her stories of the war, the tender whiff of nostalgia had turned slightly sour after a few too many days nursing cramped fingers, blistered palms, sore knees, and a raw throat. Slowly but surely, the once overcrowded infirmary was emptying as the number of sick was finally decreasing and more and more people recovered. Poor Kieran, however, still remained abed. His case had been worse than the others, after all; but eventually, he began to recover as well. What's more, once Geoffrey was deemed fit to return to duty and had been reinstated as General, his first act was to promote Kieran to deputy commander. He'd been briefly concerned that such might seem like favoritism; for the post had been vacant since the death of Sir Percival, who'd been Geoffrey's second before the Mad King's War, and there was no shortage of knights eager to claim the position. But, just as Lucia had surmised, the red armored knight was hailed as a hero among the Crimean knights for saving Geoffrey from living the life of a cripple, which offered only desolation and helpless dependency. The Royal Knights warmly and vocally congratulated Kieran on his new rank and vowed to do their very best for both him and Geoffrey.

Later still, once nearly all of those who'd fallen ill had completely recovered, Elincia decided to finally reopen the castle to the public. After sending out riders and messengers to assess what had happened beyond the castle walls during the epidemic, and thankfully learning that the country had _not_ disintegrated while she was indisposed, she apologized to the public for any inconvenience or confusion that might've ensued when the castle was closed off. Some of the nobles had made some rather pointed remarks about how the young queen had been caught unawares by the flu epidemic but, deciding to test whether or not a change of tone might help heal such divisions, Elincia politely asked what they would have differently.

Her question was greeted by a long, awkward silence before Elincia, with Geoffrey and the doctor's assistance, answered her own question.

The paladin, who had fit back into his role of General the way his fist into his gauntlet, had voiced one danger that, amidst all the chaotic work to contain the illness, had been overlooked. When the castle's inhabitants were sealed inside the castle to prevent the flu from spreading, so too were many of Crimea's men-at-arms and nearly all of the new recruits training to join the army and knights. This had left Crimea's defenses badly undermanned, and only luck and the Greil Mercenaries had prevented disastrous results.

To correct this flaw, Geoffrey recommended that the training of new recruits be dispersed and that, in addition to Castle Crimea, such sites as Castle Delbray, Fort Pinell and Fort Alpea would handle the grooming of prospective soldiers and knights.

The doctor, meanwhile, proposed that a portion of the inner courtyard be converted into an herb garden so that, if necessary, the castle could produce its own medical supplies. In addition, owing to the strange but successful formula that saved Geoffrey's eyes, he recommended that certain herbs, spices and plants that the castle often had on hand be studied to see if they might also serve medicinal purposes in case of another such crisis.

The nobles seemed somewhat put out by this and, when they seemed little more congenial than before, Elincia assuaged her disappointment with hopes that patience would ultimately prevail.

Sometime after that, the queen received word that Bastian was returning at last. Hopefully, this also meant that Ike was going to put in an appearance due to what he'd said in his letter. Elincia and Lucia, joined by the doctor who wanted to ensure that neither Bastian nor any of his men were ill, eagerly awaited their arrival at the castle gates, as they had not seen the loyal count in days. And sure enough, Bastian himself finally appeared a few hours later on the road leading to the gates.

"Bastian!" Elincia greeted, waving to him. Lucia followed suit.

"Ah, Queen Elincia!" Bastian replied as he approached the two. "And fair Lady Lucia! It gladdens my heavy heart to see both of you well."

"I'm pleased to see you're well too. And I thank you so much for all your help. We were quite lucky not to have fallen ill ourselves," Elincia recalled. "Poor Geoffrey and Kieran though…"

"Oh, yes, I heard about them. Such dire news, indeed. How do they fare?"

"They're both recovering so far, thankfully."

"And Geoffrey is slowly regaining his sight," Lucia added, a weary but happy smile lighting up her features. "I was so worried that he was going to die…"

"Ah, indeed, so was I. He's such a close friend, and the idea of losing him was heartbreaking and distasteful! Oh, how I loathed to think of where we'd be without such a respectable leader! But I told myself, that if he was indeed lost, then I shalt mourn him forever, and ensure that he was given not a mere gravestone, but a monument to his glorious memory!"

"Yes, yes, Bastian, we thought as much," Lucia replied with a chuckle. "But where's Ike? Elincia said he wanted to come too."

"Yeah, I was really looking forward to seeing my Ike again," Elincia added with a quiet tone and a frown.

"Ah, yes, Sir Ike and his great mercenaries," Bastian remembered. "They greatly desired to come, but due to the decision not to take any while we gathered flu medicine, they've now found themselves bombarded with petitions for their services. Alas, the poor souls are so overwhelmed with work now and Ike feels terrible about it. He told me to let you know of this, your majesty, and that he'll come as soon as the situation is under control."

"Oh, the poor dear," Elincia commented, concern crowding out her disappointment. "I hope he isn't overworking himself. I'm glad that he'll still come later though, and that he didn't fall ill when he visited the castle."

Elincia paused as she recalled his visit, and again affirmed her belief that they would someday be together. Patience might yet prevail, in love and politics alike.

"I agree," Lucia seconded, and feelingly. "By the way, Bastian, just how did you and your men manage to contain the flu at that farm? I'm quite curious."

"Ah, 'twas simplicity itself. We noticed that the workers in and near the onion field remained healthy, even when they went to help treat the sick. As such, we decided to scatter onions all over the farm, and just as we suspected, no more people fell ill. It seems that onions are somehow able to absorb infectious diseases."

"Of course!" the doctor blurted, clapping a hand to his forehead. "Onions _have_ been used by sailors on the high seas for over a century to combat scurvy! Though it is not an infectious disease, like the flu, that should have been cause to determine if onions might have other medicinal value. Why didn't I think of that?"

The doctor's question went unanswered, for Lucia had her own to pose. And, she did so far more vocally.

"…WHAT?!" she bellowed, so loudly that everyone within twenty paces jumped. "Now why didn't you tell us about this sooner?! We could've done the same thing here with our stock of onions! Geoffrey almost died because of this flu! I could've lost my brother because of your scatter-brained…!"

The swordmaster, now too exasperated to speak coherently, glared at Bastian with an expression of open murder.

"Er…well," Bastian blubbered, drawing back from the enraged Lucia. "Amidst the crisis and trying to keep people on the farm's perimeter from escaping, my fair lady…I…ah, forgot. Eh heh…"

Lucia's face soon turned beet red with anger.

"Errrggh, DAMN IT, BASTIAN, I'LL KILL YOU!" she exploded.

"Ah, PERIL!" Bastian yelped and darted back down the road. Lucia chased after him , shrieking like a banshee and her fists reaching for the fleeing count's neck. Elincia giggled as she watched the pursuit wend its way over the horizon and out of sight.

"Well, at least she cares about him," she opined with a smile.

The doctor, having a slightly different opinion, muttered something about bandages and splints before returning to the infirmary.

Even though Elincia had been disappointed that Ike couldn't make it, she was glad to have at least been given a good laugh. What's more, she knew that he would make good on his promise to visit her later. And fortunately, almost all of the flu patients had recovered from the illness so far, with those few who remained ill well on the road to recovery. The epidemic was finally over, and everyone could rest easy again. Elincia wasn't exactly pleased with how she had handled the first true crisis of her rule, but at least no one was killed. The last thing she needed was to have a pile of corpses to bury and grieving families to whom she could offer little more than her apologies. Still, with the castle fully staffed again, and the day waning, the only thing left for the queen to do besides her usual duties was to thank Ike for his help when he was able to make his visit…and perhaps with much, _much_ more than just words.

They couldn't play out her dream of making love yet, but she was certain that it would happen someday.

_After all_, she reflected, _the best part of patience is anticipation._

**Falchion1984: Had enough of me yet? Well, I won't blame you if you say yes…but, I'll come back anyway. Heh, heh. Anyhow, to tie off these notes, postern gates are side entrances to a castle. They were typically placed in concealed, out-of-the-way locations so that, during a siege, the castle's defenders could make hit-and-fade attacks against the besiegers. I took a nod from The Lord of the Rings - specifically, the entrance into Moria - in having the gate be devised so that, when closed, it was practically invisible. Given this, and the long era of peacetime that preceded the Mad King's War, it makes sense that such a gate would've been forgotten. But, in a way, it was fortunate that it had not been discovered earlier, as those who attempted to escape the castle would therefore have made use of it. As for Scurvy, it is a nasty, **_**nasty**_**, ****NASTY**__**disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. It causes all manner of problems beginning with malaise and lethargy, followed by chronic bone pain, changes in the skin, easy bruising, gun disease, loosening of - and, later, the loss of - teeth, poor would healing, mood changes, dye mouth and eyes, generalized edema, fever, convulsions, death and…well, like I said, nasty. It was particularly virulent amongst sailors in the pre-refrigeration era because most foods rich in vitamin C (oranges, lemons, strawberries and such) were perishable and, if they had all been eaten or gone bad, then the crew of the ship was living on borrowed time. Scurvy and the flu are different in that Scurvy is a non-infectious diseases while the flu is an infectious disease. However, the two have one commonality in that both can be combated with vitamin C and, being a source of such, onions would make a very pungent…I mean potent remedy. Too bad Bastian neglected to mention that sooner. Bandages and splints, indeed.**

**EmblemQueen: And that's the end of this story, folks! I think I need to explain something before some people go reviewing this, though. Falchion1984 had pointed out to me that Geoffrey keeping a stuffed horse could be seen as dissing him/picking on him/whatever. I swear that this was not my intention. In fact, it was meant to do the complete opposite and I hadn't thought at all that it could be seen as dissing him. See, I have a stuffed horse of my own and I also love horses more than any other animal. So if I was giving Geoffrey the same to diss him, I'd essentially be dissing myself too. And that makes no sense. I will admit that I did kind of pick on him back in Knight in Shining Armor and that I did something bad to Geoffrey yet again in this story (him losing his sight), but these were done mainly for other reasons. I felt that in the games, Geoffrey wasn't given enough flaws or unique characteristics and that this made his character boring. This, coupled with my theory that Geoffrey could be prone to depression/mental illness, gave me the idea of giving him a rather troubled childhood and a bout of Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder as an adult (what we saw in Knight in Shining Armor) and having him keep his favorite childhood toy. I didn't do all this to show a dislike for him or anything. As a matter of fact, I like him the way I've written him now and it's become much easier for me to do good stuff with Geoffrey. For example, in the sequel to Knight in Shining Armor, Geoffrey will become a big hero (along with Kieran. I love Kieran, I can't not make him a hero too!). There's also another reason I had Geoffrey have an accident and temporarily lose his sight. I wanted to give Kieran a reason to help him and get promoted to deputy commander. Kieran IS the deputy commander of the Royal Knights in Radiant Dawn, and there must have been some reason he got promoted. And what better reason is there than having saved his superior officer? ;D**


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